NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals suffered a bizarre, near-comical finish to a tense contest, falling to Gujarat Titans by a single run on Wednesday. With two runs required from the final two deliveries, David Miller’s decision not to take a run off Prasidh Krishna’s penultimate ball—and then his failure to score off the last—proved decisive, turning a potential win into an embarrassing defeat for the Capitals. Miller’s knock had earlier reignited Delhi’s chase, and the mood shifted quickly as the last over slipped away.
How the chase swung to the brink
Delhi’s hopes revived when Miller, who had earlier retired hurt on 12, returned in the 17th over. With 45 needed from the last three overs, the South African struck Mohammed Siraj for 23 runs in the 19th, tightening the equation to just 13 required from the final over.
After Vipraj Nigam fell off the second ball, Miller struck Prasidh Krishna for a six over long-off on the fourth delivery. That blow left the Capitals needing two runs from two balls—setting up the dramatic final moments that ultimately decided the match.
The final two balls: refusal and reversal
The turning point came when Miller chose not to attempt a run off Prasidh Krishna’s penultimate delivery. Instead of using the chance to complete the required runs, the attempt stalled, and with the game now hanging on the last ball, Miller was unable to score, sealing a one-run loss for Delhi.
Support from Axar, defence from Nissanka, and Gavaskar’s take
When Miller returned to the dugout, Delhi captain Axar Patel quickly offered reassurance, putting an arm around the batter’s shoulder. Axar acknowledged how close contests can spark different opinions, while also suggesting the chase could have been handled with more clarity.
Axar said, “In a match like this, where things are so tight, you can point out anything. But I think in the chase, we could have played smarter.”
Pathum Nissanka also backed Miller’s reasoning, noting that such moments can occur in cricket even if they look questionable in hindsight. He said, “We haven’t discussed it yet, but sometimes it happens in cricket.”
While criticism followed Miller’s decision, Sunil Gavaskar defended the intent behind it, stressing that the batter had been in control during the chase. Gavaskar said, “David Miller was backing himself, he had been striking the ball well and believed he could finish it. You can’t fault that intent.”
Miller’s whirlwind comeback (key moments)
- Miller retired hurt on 12, then returned in the 17th over.
- With 45 needed from the last three overs, he struck Mohammed Siraj for 23 in the 19th.
- That spell reduced the target to 13 from the last over.
- After Vipraj Nigam fell off the second ball, Miller hit Prasidh Krishna for six over long-off on the fourth.
- Delhi then required two runs from the final two deliveries—before Miller did not take a single on the penultimate ball and failed to score on the last.
