Delhi Capitals star David Miller pulled off a stunning 41-run knock off 20 deliveries to push the side to third consecutive win in the IPL 2026. The Capitals were up against the Gujarat Titans at home, Arun Jaitley Stadium in the 14th league-stage game of the season. Coming off notable wins in the first two games, the Capitals looked confident and invited their guests to put the score on the board first. The Titans, riding on stellar knocks of skipper Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar, posted a now-normal total of 210 at the loss of four wickets.
In return, openers Pathum Nissanka and KL Rahul gave the side a favorable start and pushed them near the targeted score. Nissanka came up with a 24-ball 41 while Rahul missed his century by just eight runs. While the game almost slipped out of the hosts’ control, Miller took reins in his hand and hit a 20-ball 41* to guide the team near the victory line. The South African star had earlier retired hurt with a thumb injury only to return and nearly snatched the victory.
At one point, the Capitals needed 36 off 12 balls and the Proteas star, with some help of Vipraj Nigam, brought down the equation to two off two after a towering six on the fourth ball of the 20th over. However, on the penultimate ball, Miller got caught up in a brain fade moment and refused to take a single while Kuldeep Yadav had almost started off on the other end. Later, he failed to get bat on ball off the last delivery as Buttler threw down the stumps to dismiss Yadav.
As a result of the mess up, the Titans recorded a one-win run over the Capitals.
Happens in cricket: Pathum Nissanka on David Miller’s penultimate-ball mess up
The narrow loss left David Miller absolutely devastated as the South African star could be seen sitting alone in the dressing room in a video posted by the Capitals on their social media. While the scenes in DC’s dressing room were reportedly sombre, opener Nissanka opened up on the incident that made Miller a villain for his own side. The opener was asked about Miller not taking a single on the fifth ball in the last over, to which the Sri Lankan replied, "We haven't discussed it yet, but sometimes it happens in cricket.”
Not only this, but skipper Akshar Patel also opened up on the game and said that they could have played a little smarter. Patel spoke in the post-match presentation and said, "I think both teams played very good, Very good cricket.” He added, “In this type of close game, you can point out anything. But I think in the chase, we could have played smarter. The crucial time at which the wickets fell, I think if that hadn't happened, we could have finished the chase earlier."
Notably, the Capitals will now be up against the Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on April 11.
