The 70th match of IPL 2026 witnessed a high-octane clash between Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens. In a season-ending encounter that mirrored their opening games, Delhi Capitals emerged victorious, defeating the home side in a convincing manner. This victory allowed Delhi to conclude their campaign on a high note, while Kolkata Knight Riders faced their 7th defeat of the season. Interestingly, the journey for both teams came full circle as Delhi had started the season with a win and ended it with one, whereas KKR began with a loss and finished with the same result.
Delhi Capitals Post a Formidable Total
Batting first after winning the toss, Delhi Capitals displayed an aggressive intent from the very first ball. They managed to put up a massive total of 203 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. The cornerstone of this innings was a blistering knock by KL Rahul, who smashed 60 runs off just 30 deliveries. His innings set the tone for the rest of the batsmen to follow. Captain Axar Patel also played a crucial role, contributing a solid 39 runs to the total. In the death overs, David Miller added 28 runs, while Ashutosh Sharma remained unbeaten on 18 runs to ensure Delhi crossed the 200-run mark. On the bowling front for Kolkata, Saurabh Dubey was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 2 wickets. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy also chipped in with 1 wicket each, maintaining disciplined spells despite the onslaught.
KKR's Chase and Middle-Order Collapse
Chasing a target of 204 runs, Kolkata Knight Riders started their innings with promise. 2 overs. Finn Allen looked dangerous during his brief stay, scoring 20 runs off 13 balls. Manish Pandey also showed glimpses of form with a quickfire 25 runs off 16 balls. However, the mainstay of the KKR innings was Ajinkya Rahane, who anchored the chase with a brilliant 63 runs off 39 balls. His knock was decorated with 4 boundaries and 4 sixes, keeping KKR in the hunt for a significant period. Unfortunately for the home fans, Rahane's dismissal triggered a massive collapse. Cameron Green could only manage 2 runs, Rinku Singh fell for a duck, and Anukul Roy was dismissed for 9 runs. 4 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav's Bowling Masterclass
The Delhi Capitals' bowling department was led by a stellar performance from Kuldeep Yadav. The left-arm spinner was in sublime form, picking up 3 wickets while conceding only 29 runs in his 4 overs. Kuldeep came agonizingly close to recording the first hat-trick of the season. He dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh on consecutive deliveries, but a dropped catch on the third ball denied him the milestone. Apart from Kuldeep, Lungi Ngidi was equally effective, bagging 3 wickets to dismantle the KKR lineup. Mitchell Starc also made a significant impact by taking 2 wickets. The collective effort of the Delhi bowlers ensured that KKR never recovered from the middle-order slump, handing Delhi Capitals a well-deserved 40-run victory to end their IPL 2026 journey.