Delhi Capitals suffered a major blow in their successful chase of 176 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru when captain Axar Patel was forced to retire hurt after cramping up during the pursuit. Axar started brightly after coming to the crease, finding boundaries early to keep the target in reach, but his body soon betrayed him, changing the tone of the innings at a critical stage.
- Axar Patel entered the chase in good rhythm and struck a couple of boundaries to maintain momentum.
- In the 14th over, he visibly tensed up and had to be assessed as cramps set in; the physio rushed out and play was briefly paused.
- Axar managed to return to the field and continue, but it was evident he was not moving comfortably.
- The pain returned more severely in the 16th over, with the physio and Ashutosh Sharma again stepping in to help their captain.
- As the cramps worsened, Axar was eventually compelled to retire hurt and walk off the field, clearly struggling to move freely.
- Amid the tense chase, Krunal Pandya stepped in to assist Axar’s departure from the field, with Ashutosh also present—an act of sportsmanship that stood out even as the result hung in the balance.
Despite the setback, Delhi were not derailed. Royal Challengers Bengaluru eventually lost the match after a dramatic finish, with David Miller delivering under pressure—hitting two sixes and a four in the final over to drive the chase home for the Capitals. The defeat was particularly painful for RCB, who had fought back strongly earlier in the contest, only for Romario Shepherd to falter at the end.
RCB’s innings: 175 for eight after Salt and Kohli starts
Earlier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting effort never quite turned into a runaway innings. Phil Salt struck a polished 63, but it was not enough to push RCB to a commanding total, as Delhi Capitals restricted them to 175 for eight.
Put in to bat, RCB struggled to find their rhythm from the outset. The Capitals bowlers kept the pressure on with disciplined lines on a slightly slower Chinnaswamy track during the early phases of the innings.
Virat Kohli contributed 19 as RCB built a 52-run partnership with Salt, with the wicketkeeper-batter reaching his half-century off 38 balls. Kohli appeared fluent for a short stretch before being dismissed by Lungi Ngidi, and that breakthrough disrupted RCB’s momentum through the middle overs.
Delhi’s finish: Axar’s cramps, then Miller’s last-over blast
Delhi’s bowling plan paid off, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav taking two wickets each. The pace attack also tightened the contest in the final overs, ensuring RCB could not create a late surge.
Chasing 176, Delhi completed the job with a ball to spare. KL Rahul made 57 and Tristan Stubbs finished unbeaten on 60, providing the backbone for the successful chase. Yet it was Miller who turned the match decisively in the closing stages, remaining 22 not out off 10 balls and sealing victory with his explosive final-over hitting.
