Chasing 163, defending champions Gujarat lost three wickets before the end of the powerplay, including that of captain Hardik Pandya for just five.
But Sudharsan's half-century, aided by a big-hitting cameo from David Miller (31 off 16), set up an ultimately straightforward win.
The 21-year-old survived an eighth-over review for caught behind and put on 53 for the fourth wicket with Vijay Shankar (29).
Miller then joined Sudharsan in the middle and ensured the Titans raced to their target with 11 balls to spare – the Capitals' 162-8 never having really looked like being enough.
David Warner had opened with 37 but required 32 balls, with that plodding run rate keeping the Titans firmly in the match.
Nortje enjoys opener rewards
In a brief spell in which the Capitals looked capable of causing their opponents some problems, Anrich Nortje dismissed openers Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill.
Since the start of the 2022 tournament, Nortje has taken the wicket of six openers, the second-most among Capitals bowlers.
Miller turns on the style
The Titans have an impressive record chasing targets of 150 or more, doing so a leading seven times in the past two years.
They were able to do so this time in large part due to Miller's contribution, which saw two fours and two sixes in a 28-minute dash to the finish.
Narine's ferocious innings, peppered with seven fours and as many towering sixes, set the stage on fire as he found an able partner in the form of Angkrish Raghuvanshi. The young talent showcased his mettle with a scintillating 54 off 27 balls, matching Narine blow for blow. Together, they formed a formidable partnership that laid waste to the Capitals' bowling attack.
But the onslaught didn't stop there. Andre Russell, with his trademark power-hitting, unleashed havoc upon the Capitals' bowlers, plundering 41 runs in just 19 deliveries. However, a searing yorker from Ishant Sharma in the final over denied Kolkata Knight Riders the chance to etch their name in the history books by surpassing the highest IPL score.
Despite falling short of the record, Kolkata Knight Riders' colossal total proved insurmountable for the Delhi Capitals, as they succumbed to a crushing defeat by a mammoth margin of 106 runs. With this victory, Kolkata Knight Riders soared to the top of the table, joining Rajasthan Royals with three wins from three matches, solidifying their position as serious title contenders in the IPL.
The Capitals, despite a valiant effort from their batsmen, including notable half-centuries from Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs, found themselves outclassed by the Knight Riders' clinical performance. Vaibhav Arora emerged as the hero for Kolkata Knight Riders with a stellar bowling display, claiming three crucial wickets for a mere 27 runs, further sealing the Capitals' fate.
As the dust settled on the electrifying encounter, Kolkata Knight Riders celebrated their third consecutive win in the tournament, marking the first time in their history that they had started a season with three victories in three matches. With their batsmen firing on all cylinders and their bowlers delivering under pressure, Kolkata Knight Riders sent a clear message to their competitors: they were a force to be reckoned with in the race for the IPL title.
It appears Warner will also be dropped by the struggling Sunrisers for Sunday's game against the Rajasthan Royals after the franchise revealed a change to the overseas combination will be made.
Warner scored a half-century in a midweek defeat to the Chennai Super Kings, but took "full responsibility" for the loss as he "batted too slowly."
The Australia batsman had previously questioned the decision to omit Manish Pandey from the team and Warner could now find himself out of the side, with Jason Roy awaiting his chance.
Sunrisers are rooted to the bottom of the table with five defeats from six matches and New Zealand skipper Williamson will lead them for the rest of the tournament.
A statement released by the franchise on Saturday said: "Sunrisers Hyderabad would like to announce that Kane Williamson will be taking over the captaincy for tomorrow's match and for the remainder of the IPL 2021.
"The team management has also made the decision that they will be changing the overseas combination for tomorrow's match against Rajasthan Royals.
"This decision has not come lightly as the management respects the enormous impact David Warner has had for the franchise over a number of years.
"As we face the remainder of the season, we are sure David will help us thrive for success both on and off the field."
Rahul Tripathi's 76 helped Sunrisers post an imposing total of 193-6 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Despite an opening partnership of 95 between Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma (48) and Ishan Kishan (43), Sunrisers appeared to be coasting to victory when Rohit's side were reduced to 144-5 in the 17th over.
But the subsequent over brought chaos as Tim David clobbered Thangarasu Natarajan (0-60) for four sixes, including three in succession.
The final ball of the over, however, saw David run out for 46 as he chased an ill-advised single.
Mumbai could not recover the initiative from there, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's excellent wicket-maiden 19th over leaving them with too much to do in the final six balls.
With one game to play, Sunrisers are among three teams two points behind fourth-placed Delhi Capitals but will need help to reach the play-offs given their negative net run rate.
Game turns on 18th over chaos
David appeared set to end Sunrisers' hopes as he punished Natarajan for a series of dismal full tosses, his fourth six of the 18th over a 114-metre blast that marked the second-longest of the tournament.
But his decision to chase the strike for the start of the 19th with a single that never looked on effectively ensured victory for Hyderabad.
Sunrisers streak stopped
A win that was too close for comfort ended a run of five straight defeats for Sunrisers, though that streak will likely still keep them out of the play-offs.
Malik took 4-28, with three of his wickets coming in a remarkable final over, as Sunrisers bowled out the Kings for 151 despite a 33-ball 60 from Liam Livingstone.
Livingstone plundered five fours and four sixes in the undoubted highlight of an innings in which Masood Shahrukh Khan (26) was the only other batter to score over 20.
Sunrisers got a wider range of contributions with the bat, Abhishek Sharma scoring 31 and Rahul Tripathi adding 34, with both falling to Rahul Chahar (2-28).
It was the unbroken stand of 75 between Aiden Markram (41) and Nicholas Pooran (35) that got Sunrisers over the line, however, doing so with seven balls to spare.
Markram finished things off in style, completing victory with a four and a six off successive deliveries.
Malik excellent at the death
Livingstone fell with the final delivery of the 19th over and Malik ensured there was no late blitz from the tail in the 20th.
He removed Odean Smith, Chahar and Vaibhav Arora before Arshdeep Singh was run out from the final ball of the innings.
Sunrisers surge continues
After an inauspicious start saw them lose their first two matches, Sunrisers are one of four teams level at the top on eight points, though they will need to improve their negative net run rate.
They have won four games in a row for the first time since 2020.
Captain Sanju Samson made 82 for the Royals, yet their total of 164-5 was no problem for a Sunrisers team out who saw Jason Roy star at the top of the order.
The England batsman – selected ahead of the out-of-sorts David Warner – made 60 from 42 deliveries on his debut for the franchise, in the process giving their run chase a solid start.
Kane Williamson made sure there were few alarms with an unbeaten half-century, the Sunrisers captain helping reach the victory target with nine balls to spare.
Abhishek Sharma ended up on 21 not out as the Royals missed out on doing the double over their opponents for the first time in the round-robin stage of an IPL season.
Sunrisers avoid unwanted record
Despite the impressive triumph, Hyderabad remain bottom of the table. Still, they at least avoided losing six in a row for the first time ever in the competition's history.
Roy certainly made the most of his opportunity, hitting a solitary six and eight fours. While both he and Priyam Garg, out for a first-ball duck, fell in quick succession, Williamson's unbeaten 51 saw the Sunrisers coast home.
Samson strong again as he reaches milestone
Samson sure likes playing the Sunrisers. His 57-ball knock saw him become the highest scorer against them, while he also moved past 3,000 IPL runs in his career.
Yashasvi Jaiswal made 36 and Mahipal Lomror contributed an unbeaten 29 with the bat for Rajasthan, though a second successive defeat damages their hopes of making the play-offs.
In a low-scoring match between the IPL's bottom two sides, Jason Holder's 47 not out was not enough for the Sunrisers to claim just a second win of the season.
Aiden Markram (27) top scored for Punjab, with captain KL Rahul (21) the only other player to knock off over 20 runs.
Holder was crucial to keeping Punjab to 125-7, as he took three wickets for 19 runs from his four overs, yet Mohammed Shami took the huge wickets of David Warner and Kane Williamson in his first two overs to deal the Sunrisers a blow.
The Sunrisers were reduced to just 20 runs in the powerplay, the lowest total in their IPL history, and despite Holder's unbeaten stand, which included five sixes, they did not have enough to get over the line.
Punjab's win takes them onto eight points, level with three other teams all hunting a play-off spot.
Holder's heroics not enough
There was no doubting who the star of the show was on Saturday, with West Indies international Holder brilliant with both the bat and ball. Yet his efforts proved fruitless, with Nathan Ellis managing to keep him at bay in the final over.
"It is a tough loss. We left a little bit too much in the back end to do. That's how the game plays. We were behind the eight ball. I just wanted to give myself a chance and strike well," said Holder.
Shami and Bishnoi strike
The Sunrisers' confidence was knocked early by Shami (2-14), as he dismissed Warner (2) and Williamson (1) to stifle the chase before it had even got started.
Ravi Bishnoi then added three wickets for just 24 runs to apply further pressure, skittling through Hyderabad's middle order.
An IPL statement confirmed on Wednesday that India bowler Thangarasu Natarajan had returned a positive PCR test result and had isolated himself from the rest of the Sunrisers squad.
While Natarajan was asymptomatic, six close contacts were identified by the team's medical staff, including India international Vijay Shankar, team manager Vijay Kumar, a physiotherapist, a team doctor, the logistics manager and net bowler Periyasamy Ganesan.
However, further PCR tests conducted on the rest of the squad and staff early on Wednesday all returned negative results, meaning the match against the Capitals will go ahead in Dubai.
The IPL has restarted this week after it was brought to a halt in May due to a rise in COVID-19 cases across India, with the tournament subsequently suspended and relocated to the United Arab Emirates for the rest of the 2021 season.
Glenn Maxwell hit his first half-century in the tournament since 2016 as the Royal Challengers – who had beaten defending champions Mumbai Indians in their opening fixture – posted 149-8 after being put into bat.
Hyderabad appeared on course to prevail in pursuit of their target when they reached 96-1, only for the departure of captain David Warner – caught in the deep for 54 - to trigger a dramatic collapse.
Shahbaz Ahmed claimed three wickets in an over, including Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey with back-to-back deliveries, to completely change the complexion of a run chase that fell apart.
While Rashid Khan made 17 in a hurry the Sunrisers still finished up six runs short on 143-9, meaning they have still yet to win a completed fixture at the venue in Chennai.
Bangalore's innings had been similar too, captain Virat Kohli making 33 before his departure to Jason Holder started a mid-innings wobble, his team slipping from 91-2 to 109-6.
However, Maxwell eventually mastered the tough batting conditions, producing a late onslaught as 39 runs came from the final three overs. He was dismissed off the last delivery of the innings for 59, caught behind to give Holder final figures of 3-30.
Taking it to the Max
Maxwell endured a lean 2020 IPL campaign in the United Arab Emirates, averaging 15.42 for Kings XI Punjab as he made only 108 runs. Having been released ahead of the auction, Bangalore already appear to be getting plenty for their money.
The Australian has now scored 98 runs in his two innings for the Royal Challengers, who sit on top of the table in the embryonic stages of the season.
Chennai trouble for chasing teams
After Kolkata Knight Riders had faltered in pursuit of a 153-run target to lose narrowly against Mumbai at the ground 24 hours earlier, Sunrisers let the same situation happen when seemingly well on top.
Shahbaz (3-7) bowled only two overs, yet the second from the left-arm spinner saw Bairstow, Pandey - who struggled to up the pace as he made 38 from 39 balls - and Abdul Samad all caught off top-edged attempts to go big to the leg side.
The hosts recovered from their 12-run loss to Chennai Super Kings on Monday with an excellent all-round performance at BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Having lost the toss and been put into field, a ruthless bowling attack led by Krunal Pandya's superb 3-18 off four overs seriously restricted the visitors.
Despite solid knocks from Anmolpreet Singh (31) and Rahul Tripathi (34), the loss of captain Aiden Markram (0) and Harry Brook (3) saw the Sunrisers labour to 55-4 after nine overs.
The Super Giants continued to keep the overall runrate to a soft 6.05 per over, ultimately holding their opponents to a final total of 121-8, the lowest score of the IPL season so far.
A sharp start with the bat in response from openers Kyle Mayers (13) and KL Rahul (35) suggested Lucknow's subsequent chase would be something of a formality.
Wickets for Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-19) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (1-13) sparked hope of a top-order wobble though, with Deepak Hooda (7) caught and bowled by the former.
But backed for a 55-run third-wicket stand by Pandya (34), Rahul steered his side to the brink of victory, with Adil Rashid (2-23) and his late scare not enough to derail their score of 127-5.
Pandya turns screw early on
With Singh and Tripathi both offering strong resistance, it was imperative the Super Giants cut off the rest of their top order threat before they could get going.
The former's dismissal, immediately followed by Markram's duck in a devastating two-ball spell, saw Pandya get his side firmly on top in this game.
Rashid reinforces credentials
There has not been too much doubt over the England man's place in the national white-ball set-up ahead of this year's World Cup defence.
Nevertheless, his blistering late stint, where he claimed Rahul and Romario Shepherd in consecutive deliveries, will do him no harm as he pushes to cement his spot.
De Kock struck 50 off 29 balls and Deepak Hooda made 41 from 27 deliveries in the Super Giants' total of 176-7 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.
Struggling KKR were bowled out for only 101 in reply as Lucknow moved above Gujarat Titans on net run rate, extending their winning run to four matches.
Mohsin took 1-6 from three overs, while Avesh Khan claimed 3-19 and Jason Holder 3-31 in a one-sided contest, with Andre Russell (45 from 19) one of only three KKR players to reach double figures.
KL Rahul was run out by Shreyas Iyer without facing a ball in the first over, but De Kock and Hooda put on 71 for the second wicket in quick time.
The Super Giants lost their way after Sunil Narine removed De Kock, who struck three sixes, and Russell (2-22) got rid of Hooda and Krunal Pandya (25).
But Marcus Stoinis (28) and Holder (13) took a staggering 30 off the penultimate over from Shivam Mavi to rock KKR and their run chase got off to a nightmare start when Mohsin dismissed Baba Indrajith in a brilliant wicket maiden.
The Knight Riders were 25-4 in the seventh over and although Russell cut loose, their faint hopes of winning were all-but ended when he was caught by Holder off the bowling of the impressive Avesh.
Narine made 22 but Holder sent him packing and dismissed Tim Southee for a golden duck before ending the innings by removing the bails to run Harshit Rana out.
Mayhem in Mavi over
Mavi had only conceded 20 runs from three overs before he was thrown the ball for the penultimate overs, but his figures were spoiled by Stoinis and Holder.
Stoinis clattered the all-rounder into the leg side and over the ropes three times before he was taken by Iyer in the deep. Holder then arrived at the crease to launch him for another two sixes in a stunning late flurry of runs.
Mohsin and Avesh fire again
KKR never looked like chasing down their target after Mohsin struck in a brilliant first over and the wickets continued to tumble.
Mohsin had taken seven wickets in his preview two games and deserved more than the one he added to his tally, bowling 15 dot balls in his three overs. Avesh and Dushmantha Chameera (1-14) also bowled superbly.
Fleming is without Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, who opted out of the tournament that has been moved to the UAE amid the on-going effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Chahar also tested positive for COVID-19, along with several members of support staff, while a number of Fleming's first-choice personnel - the likes of Shane Watson, MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu - are short of competitive action due to the wider realities of 2020.
"It has been different, and that's been part of the challenge - understanding the unknown," Fleming said.
"We didn't get off to a great start, with some positive COVID-19 cases, but I think we dealt with it very well.
"We were calm around our approach, looked after the players and staff very well, and the rest of the players were calm in the hotel room. There was a bit of anxiety wanting to get out and train.
"It is what it is, and the players dealt with it very well. In hindsight, the amount of pre-season training that we've done up to now, and the extra few days in the room, was probably a blessing."
Mumbai's reasons for trepidation are more historically based.
The last time the IPL was moved to the UAE in 2014, they lost each of their five games.
"We didn't have a great experience last time yes, but it's a different team now," skipper Rohit Sharma said.
"The thought process is different. Six years is a lot of time. Like I said, it's about understanding pitches and conditions, that is crucial so we are putting a lot of emphasis on that.
"Eventually the pitches will play a big part, so understanding and adapting quickly is important. But yes, the past won't play any part - it was just myself, Kieron Pollard and Jasprit Bumrah from that team.
"I think Bumrah played just one game. So the team is different, the staff is different [and] thought process is different. Looking forward to a great IPL."
It has been a miserable season for 2021 champions Chennai, who sit in ninth place with only one game remaining.
While the Super Kings let themselves down with the bat last time out against Mumbai Indians, Ruturaj Gaikwad's 53 and Narayan Jagadeesan's 39 not out this time helped them to 133-5 from their 20 overs.
But the run rate was not quick enough, with Gaikwad's score coming from 49 balls while it took 33 for Jagadeesan to reach his total as the Titans bowlers, spearheaded by Mohammed Shami (2-19), stifled the defending champions.
Gujarat's chase started well, and it took until the start of the eighth over for Chennai to strike, with Matheesha Pathirana dismissing Shubman Gill for 18.
Moeen Ali sent Matthew Wade (20) packing four overs later, but much of the damage had been done, with the Titans having already chipped away 90.
Wriddhiman Saha anchored the innings with a wonderful 67 not out, and his ninth boundary sealed an ultimately comfortable victory with five balls to spare.
Saha shows the Super Kings how it is done
Though Gaikwad scored a half-century, the Chennai opener was only able to hit five boundaries. Saha kept up the pace in reply, hitting eight fours and one six, with his unbeaten 67 coming at a strike rate of 117.54.
Woeful title defence coming to a sorry close
It is now two defeats in a row for the Super Kings, who face Rajasthan Royals in their final match. Gujarat, meanwhile, could have a say in who comes with them into the play-offs, when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday.
Narine, who has struggled with the bat throughout this IPL, and fellow West Indian Russell were two of those who failed to deliver as Kolkata were bowled out in 20 overs for 167, a total that owed much to Rahul Tripathi's 81 as he repaid the decision to promote him to open.
Chennai were confident of chasing their modest target when Shane Watson (50) and Ambati Rayudu (30) made 69 for the second wicket.
However, some brilliant death bowling from Narine (1-31) and Russell (1-18) meant the Super Kings came up short with 157-5.
Kolkata were indebted to Tripathi's 51-ball knock, which included eight fours and three sixes, as their star-studded middle order for once failed to show up.
Narine, who had been opening, was dropped down to four but could only make 17, while Eoin Morgan (7) and Russell (2) had rare off-days as Dwayne Bravo (3-37) led the Super Kings' fine bowling display.
There was then a boundary in each of Chennai's first 10 overs and they were coasting when requiring 69 off the final 48 balls with nine wickets in hand.
Yet Narine - who bowled overs 12, 14, 16 and 19 - applied the handbrake, along with Russell, whose two-over figures would have look much better had Ravindra Jadeja not struck the final three balls of the innings for an ultimately frivolous 14.
BATTING SHAKE-UP PAYS OFF FOR KNIGHT RIDERS
Kolkata's problems in the early stages of the tournament were due to a lack of big scores, with top scorer Shubman Gill down in 13th in the IPL for runs.
However, Tripathi hit their highest individual score in their five games so far, and boy was it needed given the rest of the order's struggles.
BOUNDARY DROUGHT COSTS SUPER KINGS
At 90-1 at the halfway point, Chennai were cruising and required only 78 from 60.
However, they failed to find or clear the ropes across the next 33 deliveries and were then left needing 55 off 27. It was that barren patch in the middle of their reply that ultimately proved their undoing.
The Super Kings had managed just one win in their previous six games but belied that poor run of form with a fine all-round performance in Dubai.
Bangalore had the chance to go top of the table but a total of 145-6 was not enough, despite a defiant half-century from captain Virat Kohli and 39 from AB de Villiers.
Sam Curran claimed 3-19 while Mitchell Santner returned figures of 1-23 from his four overs, setting up the opportunity for Chennai's batsmen to deliver a much-needed result.
Ruturaj Gaikwad led the way at the top of the order, finishing up unbeaten on 65 not out after sharing stands worth 46 and 67 with Faf du Plessis (25) and Ambati Rayudu (39) respectively.
Skipper MS Dhoni made 19 not out as his side cruised to their target with eight balls to spare, a victory that moves them off the bottom of the standings.
SAM THE MAN FOR A CHALLENGE
In a difficult campaign, Curran has shone for the Super Kings. The England all-rounder has performed whatever role required efficiently and is now his franchise's leading wicket-taker in 2020.
His left-arm seam accounted for a trio of big names, as he dismissed Aaron Finch early on before returning to take out international team-mate Moeen Ali and the key wicket of Kohli in the 19th over.
CHENNAI OPEN TO CHANGE
Gaikwad recorded his maiden half-century in the Twenty20 tournament, producing a fluent 51-ball innings that included three sixes.
The right-hander, 23, completed the job in style, pulling a Chris Morris short ball over the boundary. It was a far cry from his previous knock too, having fallen for a duck against Mumbai Indians last time out.
Moeen Ali contributed with both bat and ball as the Super Kings proved far too strong for their opponents at the Wankhede Stadium.
The Royals had prevailed in four of their previous five games at the Mumbai ground - including last time out against Delhi Capitals in a thriller - but fell away badly in reply to Chennai's total of 188-9.
Jos Buttler provided the only innings of note from the top order in the run chase, making 49 from 35 deliveries with five fours and a pair of sixes.
Rajasthan were in contention at 87-2 in their reply, but Buttler's departure - bowled by Ravindra Jadeja - sparked a collapse that saw five wickets fall for eight runs. They finished up on 143-9.
Jadeja finished with 2-28 but fellow spinner Moeen was the pick of the attack, the England all-rounder taking 3-7 from his three overs having earlier made 26 in Chennai's innings.
Faf du Plessis top-scored with 33 as all the top five reached double figures, while the Super Kings demonstrated their strength in depth when Dwayne Bravo made 20 not out from number nine in the order.
Royals run into trouble
Despite a miserable overall record, Rajasthan had won back-to-back matches against Chennai. However, they were unable to equal their longest winning run against them.
Buttler did his best but there was little support from the rest of the top order, the Super Kings' spinners emphatically turning the game in their favour.
All-round balance helps Chennai
Moeen Ali is the only player to reach three figures for runs and also claim a wicket so far in the 2021 IPL season.
His signing by the Super Kings in the auction appears an astute piece of business, particularly as the left-handed batsman has capitalised on his opportunities to bat up the order.
Royals captain Samson marked his milestone game with a fantastic innings, blazing 55 from 27 balls as he hit five of his team's 14 maximums, helping them to 210-6.
The Royals got contributions right down the order at MCA Stadium, with opener Jos Buttler (35) making the most of an early let-off having been caught off a no-ball to set the tone alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal (20).
New signing Devdutt Padikkal added 41 and Shimron Hetmyer's rapid knock (32 from 13) provided a quick finish as Rajasthan set an imposing target.
The Sunrisers reply was over before it really began. Skipper Kane Williamson (2) was the first to go on his return from injury, while Rahul Tripathi and Nicholas Pooran were both dismissed for ducks.
That left them in disarray at 9-3 inside five overs, and while Aiden Markram (57) steadied things and Washington Sundar (40 from 14) showed some flair, the result was long beyond doubt as the Sunrisers ultimately reached 149-7 from their 20 overs.
More misery for Sunrisers
These teams were the bottom two in last season's IPL, but on this early evidence the Royals look much more likely to improve their fortunes.
Sunrisers won only three of their 14 matches last season to finish bottom of the standings and this heavy defeat will do little to inspire confidence of a turnaround.
But Rajasthan, who have been either seventh or eighth in the table for three straight years, produced a complete performance.
Samson, having scored 82 the last time these teams met, was fantastic once more and Yuzvendra Chahal took 3-22 while Prasidh Krishna's first three overs went for just two runs before he finished on 2-16.
Royals first to defend a total
It has been a thrilling start to the 2022 IPL, with the chasing team – sometimes in improbable circumstances – finding a way to win in each of the first four matches this season.
But the Royals ensured that streak came to an end here by becoming the first side to defend a total.
Unlike those contests which came before, it quickly became apparent which way this result was going. The Sunrisers never got themselves back in with a chance after the Royals accelerated to set a high target.
The Super Giants captain muscled 103 not out off 60 balls to guide his side to an unassailable 199-4 on Saturday.
Suryakumar Yadav mustered a side-best 37 for the Indians in response, but their spirited attempts to deliver a first win of the campaign fell short.
Rahul had showcased some typical virtuosity over the past few weeks with the Super Giants, including a patient 68 in victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
But his effort here was of the more explosively entertaining kind, with the tone set by a fifth-over frenzy off Tyrone Mills and capped with an exquisite six.
Able support from Quinton de Kock (24) and Manish Pandey (38) helped drive the Indians, despite Jaydev Unadkat's 2-32 bowling figures.
Any hopes of a response from the Indians looked in jeopardy when they were reduced to 57-3, before Yadav and Tilak Varma mounted a sturdy 64-run fourth-wicket partnership.
Kieron Pollard and Unadkat combined to leave the hosts needing an ambitious 26 off the last over, but three wickets in those final six balls ended any hopes.
Rahul delivers captain's knock
Taking to the crease for the first ball alongside wicketkeeper De Kock, the India star turned in a contender for the performance of the tournament to date with his assured strokes.
With nine fours and five sixes, the opening batsman led from the front, with an impressive strike rate of 171.66, while Avesh Khan led the way with the ball, taking 3-30.
Luckless Indians continue barren run
It has been six games and six losses across the start of the 2022 campaign now for Mumbai, and their hopes of making the playoffs truly look to be in tatters.
On the back of Wednesday's loss to Punjab Kings, it is the second game in a row where their margin of defeat has clocked in under the 20-run mark, but it is still a painful streak they are yet to buck.
Shikhar Dhawan carried his bat for 69, but was starved of the strike as disciplined bowling from the defending champions restricted the Capitals to 162-4 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Krunal Pandya took 2-26, while Jasprit Bumrah and Rahul Chahar also kept it tight in a frustrating innings for Delhi at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
The Indians reached their target with two balls to spare to join their opponents on 10 points at the summit, Suryakumar and De Kock setting them well on their way to consigning the Capitals to just a second defeat.
Suryakumar (53 off 32 balls) made a second consecutive half-century and De Kock (53 from 36) got his second of the tournament before Ishan Kishan chipped in with a brisk 28.
Kagiso Rabada, the leading wicket-taker in the 2020 edition of the IPL, claimed 2-28 but Rohit Sharma's side were not to be denied a fourth win in a row.
Mumbai were made to pay for a lack of runs after Shreyas Iyer – who made 42 – won the toss and elected to bat, Krunal capping an impressive all-round display by hitting two boundaries in the final over from Marcus Stoinis.
Anrich Nortje had taken it down to the wire by conceding just three off the penultimate over, but Stoinis was unable to follow suit.
DHAWAN LANDMARKS IN VAIN
Indian opener Dhawan clattered Krunal over midwicket for his 100th IPL six as he batted through the innings.
The dangerous left-hander also reached the 1,000-run mark for the Delhi franchise, but faced just 52 balls as the Daredevils failed to fire.
Delhi were missing the injured Rishabh Pant and omitted Shimron Hetmyer, with Alex Carey taking the gloves and making an unbeaten 14 after coming in at number six.
Krunal and Bumrah bowled eight and seven dot balls respectively, also conceding just one boundary apiece in an impressive performance in the field for Mumbai.
DE KOCK AND SURYAKUMAR SLAY CAPITALS
Axar Patel gave Delhi a major lift by removing Rohit with the final ball of the fifth over with 31 runs on the board.
De Kock struck three sixes and found the rope four times before Ravichandran Ashwin sent him on his way, Prithvi Shaw taking the catch at deep square leg to leave the Indians 77-2 at the halfway mark.
Suryakuma followed up his blistering 79 in the win over Rajasthan Royals with another key knock, though, hitting six fours and a solitary six before Kieron Pollard and Krunal finished it off.
The excellent Rabada took his wicket tally to 17, six more than Bumrah and Trent Boult, in the battle for the purple cap but he would no doubt have swapped those dismissals for a win.
Mumbai Indians confirmed Suryakumar would miss the final four games of the campaign prior to Monday's clash with Kolkata Knight Riders.
Suryakumar has enjoyed a fine season in a poor campaign for Mumbai, scoring 303 runs at an average of 43.28 - including three half-centuries.
But with bottom-of-the-table Mumbai already out of contention having won just two of their 10 games, the news is likely to be of greater concern to India ahead of next month's T20 International series with South Africa.
A brief statement on Mumbai's Twitter account read: "Suryakumar Yadav has sustained a muscle strain on his left forearm, and has been ruled out for the season.
"He has been advised rest, in consultation with the BCCI medical team."
Suryakumar has featured in 14 T20Is for India, scoring three half-centuries and averaging 39.
His 31-ball 65, which featured seven sixes, saw him named player of the series in February when India secured a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies.
India host South Africa for five T20Is next month, the series opener taking place in Delhi on June 9.
