Delhi Capital posted a 40-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens to close out the league phase of the IPL 2026 with a win after both sides missed out on a playoff spot after Rajasthan Royals’ win over Mumbai Indians earlier in the day.
DC posted a total of 203/5 thanks to KL Rahul’s half-century and managed to bundle KKR out for 163 as Kuldeep Yadav and Lungi Ngidi registered three-fers.
DC were put to bat by KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, as Delhi opened the innings with KL Rahul and Abhishek Porel who put up a 40-run stand in quick time before the latter fell to Saurabh Debey for 22 off 18. Sahil Parakh added 24 runs off 17 deliveries before Sunil Narine removed the youngster.
Rahul held crease to bring up his half-century, with
Axar Patel for company as the duo took DC into triple-figures. Rahul was sent back to the hut for 60 off 30 deliveries by Anukul Roy. David Miller walked in to stand by captain Axar as the partnering ushered DC past the 150-run mark in the 16th over.
Axar fell to Varun Chakravarthy for 39, before Miller’s 28-run knock and an unbeaten 18-run innings from Ashutosh Sharma helped the Capital City side to set KKR a target of 204.
Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen put up a 43-run partnership for the first wicket before the latter was removed by Lungisani Ngidi for 20 runs off 13, before Manish Pandey added 25 runs as Rahane went on to bring up his half-century. Ngidi struck again to dismiss Pandey, before Kuldeep Yadav scalped Cameron Green for just 2 runs off 3 balls.
Rahane was scalped for 63 off 39 by Kuldeep, before the crafty spinner completed his three-fer on the very next delivery to remove Rinku Singh for a golden duck. Axar dismissed Tejaswi Singh for a solitary run before Rovman Powell added 29 runs off 21 deliveries before being caught short of this crease.
Anukul lost his wicket to Mitchell Starc for 9 off 8 before the Aussie seamer doubled his tally with the wicket of Kartik Tyagi for another golden duck. Ngidi got in on the three-wicket haul with the removal of Varun for a run-a-ball-5 as KKR folded for 163 runs.
