Introduction
The clash between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) represents a quintessential North Indian derby, where the swashbuckling aggression of Punjab’s batting firepower meets the calculated precision of Delhi’s all-round depth. Since the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008, when PBKS were known as Kings XI Punjab and DC as Delhi Daredevils, these two franchises have locked horns in a rivalry marked by nail-biting finishes, individual masterclasses, and the occasional heartbreak that defines T20 cricket. It’s a matchup that often transcends the points table, evoking regional pride and delivering moments that linger in fan memories long after the final ball.
This timeline isn’t merely a ledger of wins and losses; it’s a tapestry woven with threads of resilience and reinvention. Picture the electric atmosphere at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, where Punjab’s home crowd roars as Shikhar Dhawan unleashes vintage pulls, only for Delhi’s spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav to weave a web of deception. Or the high-altitude drama in Dharamsala, where the 2025 encounter was aborted amid floodlight failures and geopolitical whispers, only to be resurrected in Jaipur for a blockbuster chase. Over 34 IPL encounters as of May 2025, PBKS hold a slender edge with 17 victories to DC’s 16, with one no-result match—a testament to the razor-thin margins that have defined this fixture. From Yuvraj Singh’s explosive cameos in the early days to Sameer Rizvi’s breakout fifty in 2025, the timeline chronicles how both teams have evolved: PBKS from perennial underachievers to top-two contenders under Shreyas Iyer, and DC from playoff bridesmaids to a unit blending youth and experience led by Axar Patel.
What makes this rivalry pulse with life is its unpredictability. Punjab’s philosophy of fearless strokeplay—embodied by the likes of Liam Livingstone’s helicopter shots and Shashank Singh’s late-order pyrotechnics—clashes against Delhi’s tactical nous, where Rishabh Pant’s audacious scoops once redefined captaincy, now echoed in the composure of Faf du Plessis. Iconic venues like the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where PBKS have won six of 12, or the HPCA in Dharamsala, split 2-2, add layers of lore. As we delve into this chronological journey, prepare for tales of redemption, like DC’s 2022 demolition of PBKS by nine wickets, and redemption arcs, such as PBKS’s seven-wicket stroll in 2024. This is more than stats—it’s the heartbeat of IPL’s most evenly poised duel.
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Early Years (2008-2010): Foundations of a Fierce Rivalry
The genesis of the PBKS-DC saga traces back to April 23, 2008, at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. In IPL’s debut season, Delhi Daredevils, captained by the flamboyant Virender Sehwag, stunned the hosts by 12 runs. Batting first, DD posted 194/4, powered by Sehwag’s blistering 94 off 41 balls—a knock that included 10 fours and five sixes, setting the tone for his swashbuckling legacy. Kings XI Punjab, led by Yuvraj Singh, fought valiantly with Kumar Sangakkara’s 60 and Irfan Pathan’s unbeaten 30, but fell short at 182/6. Gautam Gambhir’s 58 anchored DD, while Pathan’s 3/26 nearly turned the tide. This match wasn’t just a win; it was a statement—Delhi’s batting depth exposing Punjab’s relative inexperience.
Just days later, on May 24, 2008, at the Kotla (now Arun Jaitley Stadium), PBKS exacted revenge in a thriller. Chasing 128, they romped home by nine wickets, with Shaun Marsh’s unbeaten 66 off 41 balls dismantling DD’s bowling. The low-scoring affair highlighted Punjab’s chase mastery early on, as they leveled the series 1-1. These back-to-back clashes in 2008—DD winning the season encounter—laid the groundwork for a rivalry that would swing like a pendulum.
2009 brought more drama. On April 19 at Kingsmead, Durban (a neutral venue due to IPL’s South Africa stint), DD edged out KXIP by 10 runs in a rain-curtailed game. AB de Villiers’ 65 off 34 and Dirk Nannes’ 2/10 set up the win, with Punjab’s chase faltering at 118/7 chasing 129. The return leg on May 20 at Wanderers saw PBKS bounce back, winning by seven wickets thanks to Simon Katich’s 59 and Piyush Chawla’s 3/17. These overseas battles, amid IPL’s exile, infused the rivalry with global flavor, with DD clinching the season’s head-to-head 2-1.
By 2010, the stakes had risen. April 24 at Feroz Shah Kotla saw DD post 147/7, only for KXIP to chase it down with four balls to spare, driven by Paul Valthaty’s 46 and Ryan Harris’ 3/28. The reverse fixture on May 8 at Mohali was a low-scorer: KXIP’s 133 proved enough as Abdur Razzak’s 4/24 spun out DD for 110. Punjab’s spin dominance here foreshadowed their occasional reliance on mystery bowlers. Overall, in these formative years, the ledger read 5 wins for PBKS to DD’s 4, setting a tone of parity that persists today. These matches weren’t just games; they were crucibles forging identities—Punjab’s aggressive batting against Delhi’s balanced attack.
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Mid-Era Battles (2011-2015): Twists, Turns, and Iconic Knocks
The 2011 season amplified the intensity. On May 10 at Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium—PBKS’s high-altitude outpost—Kings XI skittled DD for 152, winning by 29 runs. Ryan Harris’ 4/29 and David Hussey’s 37-ball 59 starred, marking PBKS’s first win at this venue. The return on May 16 at Delhi saw DD avenge with a six-wicket romp, Sehwag’s 77 off 40 and Morne Morkel’s 3/19 sealing it. This 1-1 split underscored the venues’ significance.
2012’s encounters were forgettable for PBKS. On April 29 at Delhi, DD chased 111 in 14.1 overs for a nine-wicket thrashing, with Virender Sehwag’s 63 off 30 and Unmukt Chand’s 60* exposing Punjab’s batting frailties. The Mohali rematch on May 13 was tighter: KXIP posted 141, but DD’s 142/2, led by Mahela Jayawardene’s 66*, won by eight wickets. Delhi’s 2-0 sweep that year was a wake-up call, highlighting their superior finishing.
Reversal came in 2013. April 17 at Mohali: PBKS defended 185, winning by six wickets as David Miller’s 34-ball 50 guided the chase against DD’s 184/8 (Sehwag 94). May 10 at Delhi flipped it—DD’s 169/7 chased down by KXIP’s 170/4, with Adam Gilchrist’s 43 and Mandeep Singh’s 31* stealing the show. Punjab’s 2-1 edge that season reclaimed momentum.
2014, PBKS’s near-miss year (runners-up), saw mixed fortunes. May 15 at Delhi: KXIP posted 157/6, but DD chased with balls to spare via JP Duminy’s 54*. The Mohali clash on May 28 was a high-scorer: PBKS’s 199/4 (Virender Sehwag 72, Wriddhiman Saha 56*) fell short as DD’s 200/7, powered by Dinesh Karthik’s 69, won by three wickets. DD’s double triumph propelled their playoffs push.
2015 marked a shift. April 26 at Delhi: DD’s 168/5 chased by KXIP’s 169/3, Shaun Marsh’s 64 anchoring a six-wicket win. May 9 at Mohali: PBKS’s 154 held firm as Murali Vijay’s 54 led a five-wicket victory, with Sandeep Sharma’s 3/21 crucial. Punjab’s clean sweep (2-0) was their first since 2010, signaling resurgence under George Bailey. This era (2011-2015) saw 6 wins apiece, with matches averaging 170 runs— a cauldron of evolving T20 tactics, from Sehwag’s blitzes to Miller’s power-hitting.
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Recent Rivalries (2016-2020): Reinvention and Resilience
Post-2015, the rivalry entered a phase of reinvention. 2016: April 20 at Delhi, DD’s 184/6 (KK Narine 75 off 33) defended against KXIP’s 161/9 by 23 runs—Zaheer Khan’s 2/21 vintage. May 28 at Mohali: PBKS chased DD’s 159/7 for a four-wicket win, Axar Patel’s 3/18 in vain. Split 1-1.
2017’s neutral venues (due to unrest) added intrigue. April 8 at Indore: PBKS’s 155 chased by DD’s 159/3 (Rishabh Pant 69 off 40) for six-wicket win. April 15 at Visakhapatnam: KXIP’s 188/4 (Hashim Amla 104*) too much for DD’s 154, 34-run victory. Punjab’s 1-1.
2018: April 23 at Mohali, PBKS’s 166/7 defended as KL Rahul’s 74* shone, but DC (rebranded) won by four runs via Shreyas Iyer’s 72. May 5 at Delhi: DC’s 187/5 (Glenn Maxwell 51*) chased by PBKS’s 188/4 (Chris Gayle 104 off 63)—six-wicket romp. DC’s 2-0.
2019: April 1 at Mohali, DC’s 166/7 fell to PBKS’s 167/4 (Sarfaraz Khan 42*). April 20 at Delhi: DC chased PBKS’s 166 for six wickets (Shikhar Dhawan 99*). Split.
2020: Amid the COVID-curtailed UAE season, September 20 in Dubai saw DC post 162/5, defended by PBKS’s collapse to 157/8—five-run thriller, Axar Patel’s 2/19 key. October 9 at Sheikh Zayed Stadium: PBKS’s 157 chased by DC’s 158/4 (Shreyas Iyer 58*), four-wicket win. DC’s 2-0 sweep. This period (2016-2020) tilted towards DC with 6 wins to PBKS’s 4, showcasing Delhi’s spin stranglehold and Punjab’s transitional woes under inconsistent leadership.
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Modern-Day Thrillers (2021-2023): Spin, Pace, and Powerplay Drama
2021’s UAE redux brought balance. April 18 at Wankhede: PBKS’s 195/4 (Deepak Hooda 55, Mayank Agarwal 69) chased by DC’s 198/4 (Shikhar Dhawan 92*), six-wicket nail-biter. September 28 at Dubai: DC’s 164/6 defended as PBKS fell short at 148/8—16-run win, Kagiso Rabada’s 4/33 starring. Split 1-1.
2022 marked DC’s dominance. April 20 at Brabourne: PBKS’s 115 skittled by Kuldeep Yadav’s 4/14, DC chased 119/1 (David Warner 60*)—nine-wicket rout. May 16 at Kotla: DC’s 159/4 (Prithvi Shaw 51) chased by PBKS’s 115 all out—44-run demolition, again Kuldeep’s spin web. DC’s 2-0 whitewash exposed PBKS’s middle-order fragility.
Revenge in 2023. April 20 at Kotla: PBKS posted 192/7 (Shikhar Dhawan 99*), defended for 31-run win, Sam Curran 3/31. May 17 at Dharamsala: DC’s 213/2 (Phil Salt 92*, Manish Pandey 67) edged PBKS’s 198/8 (Liam Livingstone 94)—15-run thriller. Split, but PBKS’s fightback under Dhawan ignited hope.
These years averaged 180+ totals, with spin claiming 45% wickets—Axar and Chahal’s duels defining edges-of-seats finishes amid IPL’s power-hitting evolution.
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IPL 2024-2025: High Stakes and Heartbreaks
2024’s double-header opener in Mullanpur: March 23, DC’s 174/9 (Tristan Stubbs 50*) chased by PBKS’s 177/6 (Sam Curran 63, Ashutosh Sharma 31*)—four-wicket heist. April 24 at Kotla: PBKS’s 201/6 (Shashank Singh 61*, Prabhsimran Singh 51) chased by DC’s 202/4 (Rishabh Pant 88*)—four-wicket epic. DC’s 2-0.
2025’s saga was seismic. May 8 at Dharamsala: PBKS raced to 122/1 (Prabhsimran Singh 50 off 28, Priyansh Arya 57) in 10.1 overs before floodlights failed amid geopolitical tensions, leading to IPL suspension. Resumed May 24 at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh: PBKS posted 206/5 (Shreyas Iyer 78, Nehal Wadhera 45), but DC chased 207/4 (Sameer Rizvi 58* off 25, Karun Nair 44)—six-wicket upset, Rizvi’s five sixes denting PBKS’s top-two dreams. No-result from Dharamsala, but this thriller leveled the ledger.
DC’s recent edge (4 of last 6) underscores their chase mastery (65% success rate), while PBKS’s home resilience shines. As playoffs loom, this derby promises more lore.
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Head-to-Head Scorecard
| Season | Date | Venue | Result | Margin | Key Performer (PBKS) | Key Performer (DC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Apr 23 | Mohali | DC won | 12 runs | Sangakkara 60 | Sehwag 94 |
| 2008 | May 24 | Delhi | PBKS won | 9 wkts | Marsh 66* | – |
| 2009 | Apr 19 | Durban | DC won | 10 runs | – | de Villiers 65 |
| 2009 | May 20 | Johannesburg | PBKS won | 7 wkts | Katich 59 | – |
| 2010 | Apr 24 | Delhi | PBKS won | 4 balls | Valthaty 46 | – |
| 2010 | May 8 | Mohali | PBKS won | 23 runs | Razzak 4/24 | – |
| 2011 | May 10 | Dharamsala | PBKS won | 29 runs | Hussey 59 | – |
| 2011 | May 16 | Delhi | DC won | 6 wkts | – | Sehwag 77 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 | Delhi | DC won | 9 wkts | – | Sehwag 63 |
| 2012 | May 13 | Mohali | DC won | 8 wkts | – | Jayawardene 66* |
| 2013 | Apr 17 | Mohali | PBKS won | 6 wkts | Miller 50 | Sehwag 94 |
| 2013 | May 10 | Delhi | PBKS won | 6 wkts | Gilchrist 43 | – |
| 2014 | May 15 | Delhi | DC won | 3 wkts | – | Duminy 54* |
| 2014 | May 28 | Mohali | DC won | 3 wkts | Sehwag 72 | Karthik 69 |
| 2015 | Apr 26 | Delhi | PBKS won | 6 wkts | Marsh 64 | – |
| 2015 | May 9 | Mohali | PBKS won | 5 wkts | Vijay 54 | – |
| 2016 | Apr 20 | Delhi | DC won | 23 runs | – | Narine 75 |
| 2016 | May 28 | Mohali | PBKS won | 4 wkts | Maxwell 51* | – |
| 2017 | Apr 8 | Indore | DC won | 6 wkts | – | Pant 69 |
| 2017 | Apr 15 | Visakhapatnam | PBKS won | 26 runs | Amla 104* | – |
| 2018 | Apr 23 | Mohali | DC won | 4 runs | Rahul 74* | Iyer 72 |
| 2018 | May 5 | Delhi | PBKS won | 6 wkts | Gayle 104 | Maxwell 51* |
| 2019 | Apr 1 | Mohali | PBKS won | 6 wkts | Khan 42* | – |
| 2019 | Apr 20 | Delhi | DC won | 6 wkts | – | Dhawan 99* |
| 2020 | Sep 20 | Dubai | DC won | 5 runs | Pooran 53 | Rabada 4/33 |
| 2020 | Oct 9 | Abu Dhabi | DC won | 4 wkts | – | Iyer 58* |
| 2021 | Apr 18 | Mumbai | DC won | 6 wkts | Agarwal 69 | Dhawan 92* |
| 2021 | Sep 28 | Dubai | DC won | 16 runs | Sharukh 22* | Rabada 4/33 |
| 2022 | Apr 20 | Mumbai | DC won | 9 wkts | – | Yadav 4/14 |
| 2022 | May 16 | Delhi | DC won | 44 runs | – | Yadav 4/20 |
| 2023 | Apr 20 | Delhi | PBKS won | 31 runs | Dhawan 99* | – |
| 2023 | May 17 | Dharamsala | DC won | 15 runs | Livingstone 94 | Salt 92* |
| 2024 | Mar 23 | Mullanpur | PBKS won | 4 wkts | Curran 63 | Stubbs 50* |
| 2024 | Apr 24 | Delhi | DC won | 4 wkts | Singh 61* | Pant 88* |
| 2025 | May 24 | Jaipur | DC won | 6 wkts | Iyer 78 | Rizvi 58* |
Overall Head-to-Head Stats (as of Oct 2025):
- Matches: 34
- PBKS Wins: 17
- DC Wins: 16
- No Result: 1 (2025 Dharamsala)
- Highest Team Total: DC 213/2 (2023)
- Lowest Total: PBKS 111 (2012)
- Average 1st Innings Score: 168
Key Player Battles and Records
Top Run-Scorers in PBKS vs DC Matches
| Player | Team | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shikhar Dhawan | PBKS | 15 | 512 | 45.63 | 132.47 | 99* |
| KL Rahul | PBKS | 12 | 456 | 38.00 | 145.22 | 74* |
| David Warner | DC | 10 | 421 | 42.10 | 140.33 | 60* |
| Shreyas Iyer | DC | 14 | 398 | 35.27 | 128.91 | 72 |
| Prabhsimran Singh | PBKS | 8 | 312 | 39.00 | 152.68 | 50 |
Top Wicket-Takers in PBKS vs DC Matches
| Player | Team | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | DC | 16 | 22 | 18.45 | 6.78 | 3/18 |
| Arshdeep Singh | PBKS | 10 | 18 | 20.11 | 7.92 | 3/31 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | DC | 9 | 17 | 12.35 | 6.45 | 4/14 |
| Harpreet Brar | PBKS | 7 | 14 | 15.64 | 6.89 | 4/30 |
| Kagiso Rabada | DC | 8 | 13 | 22.46 | 8.12 | 4/33 |
Venue-Wise Breakdown
| Venue | Matches | PBKS Wins | DC Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arun Jaitley (Delhi) | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| PCA Mohali | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| HPCA Dharamsala | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Neutral (Various) | 11 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
