IPL: Axar, Miller power DC to record chase against PBKS

Delhi Capitals kept their IPL 2026 playoff hopes live with a stunning three-wicket triumph implicit Punjab Kings successful a high-scoring thriller astatine Dharamsala connected Monday. Chasing a daunting people of 211, DC rode connected counterattacking half-centuries from David Miller and skipper Axar Patel to implicit the highest palmy tally pursuit astatine the HPCA Stadium, finishing the occupation successful conscionable 19 overs. The triumph came astatine a important signifier of the play for Delhi, who had entered the contention needing wins to stay successful playoff contention. Punjab, meanwhile, slumped to a 4th consecutive decision aft erstwhile looking similar 1 of the strongest teams successful the competition.

PBKS had earlier posted 210/5 aft different explosive commencement from opener Priyansh Arya. The left-hander smashed a breathtaking 56 disconnected conscionable 33 deliveries, hammering six towering sixes successful a fearless show of strokeplay.

He took isolated the DC gait onslaught early, peculiarly targeting Mitchell Starc successful an implicit that leaked 22 runs. The shot travelled rapidly successful the bladed Dharamsala air, and Priyansh capitalised afloat by dispatching Starc, Lungi Ngidi and Mukesh Kumar to each parts of the ground. However, Delhi fought backmost smartly aft conceding 51 runs successful the archetypal 3 overs. Young pacer Auqib Nabi played a cardinal relation successful slowing the momentum by bowling hard lengths and extracting question disconnected the surface.

Priyansh yet fell to debutant Madhav Tiwari, who claimed his maiden IPL wicket erstwhile the PBKS opener was caught astatine heavy point. PBKS mislaid momentum aft their flying start. At 107/2 aft 10 overs, a full beyond 230 looked possible, but Delhi’s bowlers tightened their lines effectively. Captain Shreyas Iyer tried to rebuild with an unbeaten 59 disconnected 36 balls portion Cooper Connolly contributed 38 from 27 deliveries during an 83-run partnership.

Yet neither batter was capable to afloat accelerate successful the decease overs. Starc redeemed himself somewhat by dismissing Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh disconnected successive deliveries successful the 19th over. Despite precocious sixes from Suryansh Shedge, PBKS were restricted to 210/5 acknowledgment to an fantabulous last implicit from Ngidi. Delhi’s pursuit began shakily arsenic PBKS struck 3 times wrong the powerplay for the archetypal clip this season.

Yash Thakur removed Abishek Porel with a crisp seaming transportation that crashed into mediate stump. KL Rahul mistimed a whip disconnected Arshdeep Singh and was caught astatine good leg, portion youngster Sahil Parakh showed committedness earlier falling to Arshdeep arsenic well. The unit accrued further erstwhile Tristan Stubbs was tally out, leaving DC struggling astatine 74/4. But conscionable erstwhile Punjab looked successful implicit control, Axar and Miller launched a sensational counterattack. Axar smashed 56 disconnected lone 30 balls, taking connected some rotation and gait with fearless intent. Miller matched him changeable for changeable with a blistering 51 from 28 deliveries arsenic the duo added 64 runs successful conscionable 34 balls to wholly plaything the momentum backmost towards Delhi. Even aft some acceptable batters departed, DC held their nerve. Ashutosh Sharma produced a invaluable cameo of 24 portion Madhav Tiwari chipped successful with 18 important runs to usher the visitors location with six balls to spare. For Punjab, Arshdeep stood retired with awesome figures of 2/21 successful 4 overs, but the remainder of the bowling onslaught struggled severely nether unit arsenic their losing streak continued astatine a captious signifier of the tournament.