Mitchell Starc's match-turning second spell was the decisive factor in Delhi Capitals' five-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, according to former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher. The win, sealed with four balls to spare, lifted DC to seventh place on the 10-team points table and kept their playoff qualification hopes alive.

Starc's Decisive Spell

Starc's final figures of 4 for 40 restricted Rajasthan Royals to 193 for 8 — a total that looked well short of the 230-plus they had threatened after a dominant Powerplay. Boucher, speaking on JioHotstar, said Starc had struggled to find his rhythm in his opening overs before producing a match-changing burst.

'At one stage, Rajasthan Royals looked set for a total close to 230 after the kind of Powerplay they had. Mitchell Starc hadn't quite found his rhythm early on, but when he came back, he completely changed the game with his variations in pace and execution under pressure,' Boucher said.

A single over in which Starc claimed three wickets proved the turning point. 'That over, where he picked up three wickets, shifted the momentum entirely and pulled Rajasthan back from what looked like a massive total... that spell changed the complexion of the game and ultimately kept the target within Delhi Capitals' reach,' Boucher added.

Madhav Tiwari's Emerging Threat

Former India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla highlighted the contribution of young all-rounder Madhav Tiwari, who dismissed both Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Shubham Dubey with well-disguised slower balls. Chawla described Tiwari as 'extremely impressive' across consecutive matches.

'For a youngster with limited first-class experience, he already seems to have a lot of variety in his bowling. But the key is having the confidence to execute those options at the right moments, and he's doing that with remarkable ease,' Chawla said. Tiwari had previously produced an effective spell in Dharamshala, where conditions were far more favourable to batters.

Porel and Rahul Power the Chase

In the chase of 194, Abhishek Porel set the tone with a positive 51, sharing a 105-run opening stand with KL Rahul, who top-scored with 56. Chawla praised Porel for his aggressive intent despite limited opportunities in the tournament so far.

'Abishek Porel's innings was extremely impressive because despite not getting too many opportunities this season, he came in with complete positive intent. Whenever the ball was in his zone, he was willing to take his chances and play the attacking shots, which was very important in a chase of over 190,' Chawla said.

SRH Hold Edge Over CSK Ahead of Monday Clash

Looking ahead to the next fixture, Chawla assessed that Sunrisers Hyderabad carry a slight advantage over Chennai Super Kings, primarily because of an injury to CSK seam-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton. Overton had been a key contributor with both bat and ball in the middle overs.

'Replacing that kind of all-round impact won't be easy. Spencer Johnson can strengthen the bowling, but he doesn't offer the same batting depth, so it will be interesting to see whether CSK stick with the same combination or look at making changes for such an important game,' Chawla noted. The outcome of that match will further shape the playoff picture in what remains a tightly contested IPL 2026 standings.