Delhi Capitals (DC) ended the campaign with a win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, May 24.
On Sunday, Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and decided to bowl first. KKR's hopes of reaching the playoffs ended when Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians in the afternoon match. However, the Knights had a chance to put on a show for their enthusiastic fans.
Delhi Capitals had a good start but Saurabh Dubey dismissed Abhishek Porel in the fifth over. Sahil Parakh played some brilliant shots during the 47-run partnership with KL Rahul. However, he could not take full advantage of his start.
KL Rahul Played a brilliant inning of 60 runs in 30 balls, in which he hit five fours and four sixes. DC captain Akshar Patel was also impressive, scoring 39 runs in 25 balls. David Miller (28) and Ashutosh Sharma (18*) hit a flurry of boundaries at the back end of the innings to help Capitals finish at 203/5.
In reply, the opening pair of Finn Allen and Rahane added 43 runs inside five overs, before being bowled out for 20 (13). Rahane and Manish Pandey looked in good form during their stand of 44 runs off 25 balls, but a brilliant catch by Mitchell Starc ended the latter innings. Cameron Green also failed to leave his mark and was out after scoring two runs.
The required run rate was still manageable during Rahane and Rovman Powell's partnership of 32 runs off 22 balls. However, from this point on, KKR's middle and lower order inexplicably collapsed. From 128/3 they were all out for 163 runs in 18.4 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav bowled brilliantly in the middle overs and took three wickets. Lungi Ngidi also took three wickets, while Starc took two.
Here are the top stats and milestones from Match 70:
- Akshar Patel completed 100 sixes in the IPL during his innings on Sunday.
- KL Rahul is at No. 2 in terms of most sixes hit by a DC batsman in an IPL season (31). The record of hitting 37 sixes during IPL 2018 is in the name of Rishabh Pant.
- DC's first win against KKR after losing four consecutive matches since 2024.
- Manish Pandey crossed 4000 runs in IPL. He is the third slowest in terms of innings played after Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu.
- Ajinkya Rahane, who scored 63 off 39 balls, made his eighth 50-plus score (24 innings) against DC. Only Virat Kohli has a score of more than 50 against the Capitals (11 in 32 innings).
- The 28 sixes hit by Finn Allen in IPL 2026 are the second most sixes hit by a KKR opener in an IPL season after the 33 sixes hit by Sunil Narine in IPL 2024.
- The 203/5 made by the Capitals is the fourth highest score by a team without a partnership of more than 50 in the IPL.
- KL Rahul equaled Rishabh Pant, Prabhsimran Singh and himself for the most 50-plus scores (6) by a wicketkeeper in an IPL season.
- KL Rahul is now jointly fourth in the list of players with most 50-plus scores (51) in IPL.
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