Delhi Capitals’ hopes of making the IPL 2026 playoffs are hanging by a thread after an eight-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday. Led by Axar Patel, DC now sit with eight points from 11 matches, and with only three league games left, their ceiling is 14 points—yet even that total may not be sufficient. Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes the side’s bowling, particularly Kuldeep Yadav’s current slump, has been a major concern.
Delhi’s playoff blow as KKR win in style
- Delhi Capitals were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders by eight wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.
- DC’s points tally now stands at eight after 11 rounds of matches in IPL 2026, leaving them with three league fixtures to play.
- With three games remaining, Delhi could finish with a maximum of 14 points, a figure Chopra suggests might still fall short of playoff qualification.
After the loss, Chopra singled out spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s poor run of form. Kuldeep, retained by Delhi for a reported fee of Rs 13.25 crore, has struggled to make an impact this season—taking just seven wickets across the 11 matches he has played. His bowling return includes an economy rate of 10.67, underlining how difficult it has been for him to contain batters or take timely wickets.
Chopra also pointed out that the wicket drought has extended further. Including the KKR match, Kuldeep has not taken a wicket in his last three outings. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “In bowling, Kuldeep has struggled and how. He is probably the most expensive spinner. He hasn’t picked up wickets at all. He has probably taken a wicket in eight or nine of the last 19 matches for Delhi. He is not picking up wickets, it’s a problem.”
From a broader perspective, Chopra does not expect Delhi to recover in the points race. He added: “Axar Patel bowled well. He bowled his four overs quickly, but never going to be enough. Delhi are looking extremely far away one more time. For all practical purposes, you are done. The kind of cricket you are playing, that’s it. It’s impossible to come out and rise from here.”
KKR’s chase powered by Finn Allen
- In Friday’s IPL 2026 fixture, Finn Allen produced a standout performance as KKR thrashed DC by eight wickets.
- DC were set 143 to win, and KKR chased the target successfully in 14.2 overs.
- Allen struck an unbeaten century off 47 balls, finishing with 5 fours and 10 sixes.
Earlier in the match, Delhi batted first and reached 142 for 8. Pathum Nissanka top-scored with a half-century, making 50 off 29 balls, while Ashutosh Sharma contributed 39 as DC posted a total that proved just short of what KKR needed.
