PBKS vs DC

Delhi Capitals stay alive in the playoff race with a massive win under pressure, while Punjab Kings now find themselves desperately needing to halt this losing streak if they want to secure a top-two finish. A night of twists, momentum swings, and big-match performances in Dharamsala.

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Madhav Tiwari is the Player of the Match! Here's what he has to say: [On contributing to Delhi Capitals’ victory]“First of all, I want to thank the management for giving me this opportunity. I’m really happy that I was able to contribute and be part of a winning performance for the team.”[On staying prepared despite limited opportunities]“The mindset is always about focusing on the things you can control. Even when opportunities don’t come immediately, you keep trying to improve in every practice session. I worked a lot on my bowling with the coaches and also spent time improving my range-hitting with the batting staff. It was all about staying ready for whenever the chance came.”[On whether he sees himself as a batter or an all-rounder]“I’d say I’m 100 percent a bowler and 100 percent a batter.”[On his bowling plans in challenging conditions]“The wicket was helping hard lengths, so my focus was on consistently hitting those areas. I tried to mix that up with a few wide deliveries and short balls in between to keep the batters guessing.”[On being trusted with a full spell]“I was prepared for the responsibility because the conditions were assisting the fast bowlers. Axar told me that if I was confident after the first over, I could continue, and thankfully I was able to complete my spell for the team.”[On finishing the chase with the bat]“The batting coach told me to trust my power, stay balanced, and avoid trying anything too fancy. The message was simple — hold my shape, react to the ball, and back my natural game.”

Axar Patel [Delhi Capitals]: [On Delhi Capitals’ inconsistent season]“I’ve said this before as well — the biggest difference this season has been the crucial moments in games. Whenever those key moments arrived, we often ended up on the wrong side of them despite playing good cricket. We have a very strong team and the quality has always been there, but losing one or two close games has put us in this position. It’s a long tournament and not every day goes the same way, but I’m really happy with the way the team played tonight and hopefully we can carry this momentum into the remaining matches.”[On the turning points in the game]“I think the biggest moment came with the ball after the first three or four overs. They were scoring heavily early on, but to pull things back and restrict them to 72 at the end of the powerplay was very important. Then in the middle overs, the way Mukesh and Madhav bowled really changed the game for us. After that, the partnership between David Miller and myself set the platform, and the youngsters, Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari, finished the job brilliantly.”[On not using spin during the innings]“Initially, after the first few overs, we realised the pitch was offering assistance to the seamers. The ball was swinging and seaming, and once we adjusted our lengths, it became clear that the fast bowlers were getting enough help from the surface. That’s why I decided to continue backing the pacers instead of bringing myself on. We had five seam options available, so I felt it was best to use those conditions to our advantage.”[On his own batting form and mindset]“My approach has always remained the same, even before tonight. Sometimes things click and sometimes they don’t, but it’s important to keep trusting your process and continue playing with the same intent. Today, things finally went my way a little more. There was a chance earlier in the innings where luck could have gone against me, but this time it worked in my favour. I just stayed committed to my process and the runs eventually came.”[On making multiple changes and trusting youngsters]“We made quite a few changes and gave opportunities to several young players, and performances like this show the kind of future this team can have. Our bench strength is very strong, and players like Sahil have already shown the potential they possess. As a captain, it’s very satisfying to see youngsters stepping up in pressure situations and delivering for the team.”

David Miller [Delhi Capitals]: [On his partnership with Axar Patel during the chase]“At that stage of the game, Axar played a massive role for us. He’s worked incredibly hard this season even though results haven’t always gone his way, but tonight he showed exactly what he’s capable of. He came in with great intent, gave the innings momentum, and allowed me a little time to settle in. I thought we complemented each other really well out there.”[On handling pressure during the death overs]“It’s never easy in a chase like that, but for me it’s all about staying calm and staying present. There are so many things happening in the closing stages — the required rate, field placements, bowling changes — but I try to simplify it and focus only on the next ball. Clearing the mind and thinking clearly becomes very important in those situations.”[On facing his former franchise Punjab Kings]“There’s always a bit of extra motivation in games like these, but that’s the nature of franchise cricket. You move between teams and focus on doing your job. For me, it was another opportunity to do what I love — finishing games for the team — and thankfully it came off tonight.”[On adapting to the Dharamsala surface]“It was a slightly tricky wicket because there was still a bit happening off the surface throughout the innings. Some balls stayed low, while others bounced nicely, so the key was to maintain shape and play proper cricket shots. We knew Punjab would keep attacking hard lengths because it worked well for them, so the focus was on getting into good positions and adapting to the conditions as the innings progressed.”

Shreyas Iyer [Punjab Kings captain]: [On not using spin during the chase]“There was definitely a thought about bringing Chahal into the attack, but the way the pitch was behaving, there was enough assistance for the seamers. We felt that if we had executed our lines and lengths properly, we could have continued creating wicket-taking opportunities with the fast bowlers.”[On the bowling plans at the death]“The idea was still to bowl hard lengths and hit the surface rather than rely too much on yorkers. I believe that hard lengths and back-of-a-length deliveries are the toughest balls for a new batter to attack consistently. If you keep repeating those areas, there’s always a chance of a mistimed shot or a wicket. Unfortunately, we just fell short in executing our plans properly at the crucial moments.”

Delhi Capitals win by 3 wickets!

Delhi Capitals finish on 216/7 after 19 overs!

Axar Patel 56(30) | David Miller 51(28)
Arshdeep Singh 4-0-21-2 | Yash Thakur 4-0-55-2

What a breathtaking finish in Dharamsala! Just when Punjab Kings looked firmly in control at the halfway mark of the chase, Delhi Capitals produced a stunning comeback to keep their playoff hopes alive. Axar Patel and David Miller turned the game on its head with a fearless counterattack under pressure, stitching together a partnership that completely shifted the momentum of the contest.

Delhi’s chase had begun on shaky ground. KL Rahul and Abishek Porel departed cheaply, Sahil Parakh followed soon after, and DC were staring at serious trouble inside the powerplay. Tristan Stubbs threatened to change the tempo, but an unfortunate mix-up led to his run-out, leaving the Capitals in deeper trouble. That’s when Axar Patel and David Miller stepped up. Calm under pressure yet aggressive when needed, the duo absorbed the pressure brilliantly before launching a calculated assault on the Punjab bowling attack.

Even heading into the 15th and 16th overs, Punjab Kings still seemed slightly ahead in the contest. But once the boundaries began flowing, the momentum swung dramatically. Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari then provided the finishing touches with fearless cameos, sealing a memorable victory for Delhi Capitals with an over to spare.

For Delhi Capitals, this win means survival. Their playoff hopes remain alive, and from here on, the equation is simple — keep winning and keep believing. For Punjab Kings, though, alarm bells are beginning to ring. Four consecutive defeats have suddenly stalled what once looked like a dominant campaign, and with the race for a top-two finish tightening, they now desperately need to rediscover momentum before it’s too late.

18.6 Yash Thakur to Auqib Nabi Dar, SIX! DC HAVE PULLED OFF A HEIST! Delhi Capitals still alive in this year's IPL! Low full toss on the off-stump, Nabi pumped it all the way over long-off for a maximum. What a thrilling win this for DC as they keep themselves alive. Punjab though, now have lost four on the bounce and need to get back to winning ways.

18.6 Yash Thakur to Auqib Nabi Dar, FOUR! NO-BALL! Full toss into the hips, Nabi helps it to fine-leg, races away to the ropes. Above waist height, no-ball and it's almost over for PBKS now!

18.5 Yash Thakur to Ashutosh Sharma, OUT! MILES UP IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Pravin Dubey, cool as ice at deep mid-wicket, clings on to the catch as Ashutosh departs. Short outside the off-stump, fetches to pull that one across and skied it. Pravin running across, hangs on to it.

18.4 Yash Thakur to Ashutosh Sharma, SIX! BAM! Stunning, simply stunning this from DC. Short and wide, Ashutosh hangs back and slashes it all the way over deep backward point for a maximum.

18.3 Yash Thakur to Madhav Tiwari, back of a length on the off-stump, Tiwari has a big swipe across the line, but ends up getting an inside edge into the on-side for one.