Miller, Axar, Ashutosh keep DC alive with stunning chase

Delhi Capitals overcame a poor batting Powerplay to storm to their second highest successful run chase, keeping them alive in IPL 2026. PBKS posted 205/5 on a pitch offering assistance to quicks but couldn't defend it as Axar Patel, David Miller and Ashutosh Sharma snatched the game away from the middle-overs onwards. This marked the ninth time PBKS failed to defend a 200-plus total in IPL, falling to their fourth straight defeat.

Brief Scores: Punjab Kings 210/5 in 20 overs (Priyansh Arya 56 (33), Shreyas Iyer 59 (36), Suryansh Shedge 21(8); Madhav Tiwari 2-40) lost to Delhi Capitals 216/7 in 19 overs (David Miller 51 (28), Axar Patel 56 (30), Ashutosh Sharma 24 (10); Arshdeep Singh 2-21) by 3 wickets

A Powerplay of two-halves for PBKS?

Priyansh Arya started aggressively despite recent struggles, smashing Mitchell Starc for a six first ball. Starc conceded 22 runs in an erratic first over, including five wides and a leading edge that went for six. Arya cleared the square leg fence against Auqib Nabi and tonked two more sixes off Lungi Ngidi. PBKS reached their fastest team fifty in 2.4 overs, but Nabi bowled a tight second over worth eight runs. Arya got to a 24-ball half-century on the first ball of the sixth over. PBKS reached 72/0, but there was something in the pitch for pacers.

Shreyas Iyer back among the runs

The PBKS captain looked scratchy in three successive defeats but found form in Dharamsala. A miscued push off a slower ball from Ngidi flew for six, and he hit a commanding six over deep extra cover against Madhav Tiwari to reach his half-century.

Madhav Tiwari's performance

Tiwari finished with 2-40 but bowled with smarts and variations. Arya became his maiden IPL wicket, caught at deep point. He also dismissed Cooper Connolly with a well-disguised slower bouncer. A 19-run fourth over sullied an otherwise impressive evening.

Eventful Starc over at the death

Starc dismissed Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh off the first two balls of the 19th over, but Suryansh Shedge smashed the hat-trick ball for six over long-on. Shedge then anticipated a yorker, went deep in the crease for a boundary, and pulled the final ball for six over deep mid-wicket.

DC's early collapse

DC crumbled to 33/3. Yash Thakur knocked back Abishek Porel's middle stump, Marco Jansen took a diving catch to remove KL Rahul, and Sahil Parakh found Yuzvendra Chahal at short third with a cramped ramp shot. Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs dragged them to 48/3 in 6 overs.

The middle-overs fightback

A slippery outfield, dew, and the pair of Axar and Miller turned the game. Stubbs fell to an excellent direct hit from Connolly. As their stand grew, dew made fielders lose footing. Axar scored more in this innings than he had all season, but his wicket in the 14th over – slogging Stoinis to Dwarshuis at long-on – came at a critical time. Arshdeep bowled a tight 15th over worth just 5 runs, finishing with 2/21.

Why couldn't PBKS defend 68 off 30?

With Arshdeep's quota done, Miller targeted Jansen for 15 runs. He then welcomed Dwarshuis with two sixes in the 17th over to reach a 27-ball 50. Although he fell to a catch-of-the-season contender by Prabhsimran Singh, runs kept coming. Tiwari cut behind point for four as 17 came from the over. Stoinis offered slot balls to Ashutosh Sharma, who hit a four and six. Tiwari deposited a hittable delivery over deep backward square leg. The 19-run over reduced the equation to 19 off 12. Yash Thakur conceded the rest in the penultimate over – Tiwari finished unbeaten on 18 off 8, Ashutosh fell for 24 off 10, and Auqib Nabi sealed it with a four and six.

What was special about the first game in Dharamsala?

Not one over of spin was bowled. Axar didn't bring himself on, and Shreyas kept Chahal away. The match featured 39 overs of pace – the second most in a single IPL game.

Delhi Capitals host Rajasthan Royals on May 17. Punjab Kings host Mumbai Indians in Dharamsala on May 14.