Delhi Capitals Beat Punjab Kings By 3 Wickets To Stay Alive In IPL 2026 Play-Off Race
Delhi Capitals kept their IPL 2026 play-off hopes alive with a thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings in a high-scoring encounter at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on May 11. Chasing a daunting target of 211, Delhi Capitals raced to 216/7 in just 19 overs, registering the highest successful run chase in IPL history at the Dharamsala venue.
Punjab Kings got off to a blazing start after being put in to bat by Delhi skipper Axar Patel. Opener Priyansh Arya played a sensational innings, smashing a rapid half-century to help PBKS storm to 51 runs in the first three overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer then anchored the innings with a composed fifty, while Cooper Connolly contributed valuable runs during an 83-run partnership. Late fireworks from Suryansh Shedge lifted Punjab Kings to an imposing 210/5 in 20 overs. Young pacer Madhav Tiwari stood out for Delhi Capitals with two important wickets and disciplined bowling in the middle overs.
Delhi Capitals suffered early setbacks in the chase after losing wickets inside the Powerplay, including KL Rahul and Abishek Porel. However, Axar Patel steadied the innings with a crucial attacking half-century. Tristan Stubbs provided solid support before David Miller shifted the momentum with a powerful counterattacking knock under pressure. Contributions from Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari kept Delhi in the hunt despite regular wickets falling.
The closing overs delivered intense drama as Delhi required quick runs against Punjab’s pace attack. Ashutosh Sharma struck crucial boundaries before falling near the finish line. Young batter Auqib Nabi then sealed the victory in style by smashing a six off Yash Thakur in the final over. Delhi Capitals completed the chase with three wickets remaining to stay mathematically alive in the IPL 2026 play-off race.
Punjab Kings, meanwhile, slumped to their fourth consecutive defeat of the season. After the match, Shreyas Iyer admitted that poor fielding and ineffective bowling execution proved costly at crucial moments. Axar Patel praised Delhi’s middle-order resilience and highlighted the impact of young players, especially Madhav Tiwari, who was named Player of the Match for his impressive all-round performance.
