Axar, Miller and late cameos hand Capitals win over PBKS

The three-wicket win keeps DC's playoffs hope alive while Punjab suffered their 4th successive defeat

- N Ananthanarayanan

DC captain Axar Patel (R) and David Miller during the IPL match against PBKS.

(PTI)

In an otherwise bleak season, Delhi Capitals had won their previous four games chasing, three of them away from a home ground they have eyed with trepidation this IPL season.

On Monday at Dharam-sala, skipper Axar Patel deciding to bowl on winning the toss thus didn’t come as a surprise, although Punjab Kings had left DC gutted by chasing down 265 when they met earlier in IPL 2026.

One trend seen every IPL season is that teams slipping down the points table struggle to get things right. For DC, it has been finding the right balance for their unsettled batting lineup. The venue in altitude though left Capitals feeling the high as they handed PBKS their fourth loss on the trot.

Chasing 21] after PBKS made 210/5 following a spirited bow!-ing fightback by Capitals—the game saw all 20 overs bowled by pacers in a nod to the seam-friendly conditions—Capitals overcame early hiccups to reach 216/7 in 19 overs.