IPL 2026 | Delhi Capitals Crush KKR By 40 Runs As KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav Shine At Eden Gardens

KL Rahul’s explosive fifty and Kuldeep Yadav’s three-wicket spell helped Delhi Capitals finish IPL 2026 on a high with a dominant 40-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.

Delhi Capitals produced a commanding batting display to post 203/5 in their final IPL 2026 league-stage match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Saturday.

After losing Abishek Porel for 22 in the fifth over, KL Rahul took charge of the innings with a blistering 60 off just 30 deliveries. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed five boundaries and four sixes while maintaining a strike rate of 200.

Youngster Sahil Parakh added 24 off 17 balls before Axar Patel continued the momentum with a captain’s knock of 39 from 25 deliveries. David Miller also chipped in with an unbeaten-looking 28 off 19 before falling on the penultimate ball of the innings.

Ashutosh Sharma remained unbeaten on 18 off 11 balls as DC crossed the 200-run mark comfortably. For KKR, Saurabh Dubey impressed with figures of 2/28, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy picked up one wicket each.

Ajinkya Rahane Fights Lone Battle For KKR

Chasing 204, Kolkata Knight Riders began aggressively despite losing Finn Allen for 20 inside the powerplay. Captain Ajinkya Rahane anchored the innings brilliantly and kept KKR in contention during the middle overs.

Rahane smashed 63 off 39 balls with four fours and four sixes, registering another impressive half-century in IPL 2026. Manish Pandey supported him with a quick 25 off 16 deliveries, but wickets at regular intervals derailed the chase.

The turning point arrived when Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Cameron Green and later removed Rahane and Rinku Singh in consecutive deliveries. KKR collapsed from 128/3 to 129/6 within a span of seven balls.

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Rovman Powell attempted a late recovery with 29 off 21 balls, but the lower order failed to provide support. KKR were eventually bowled out for 163 in 18.4 overs.

Kuldeep Yadav, Ngidi Finish Strong For Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack executed their plans clinically during the chase. Kuldeep Yadav starred with figures of 3/29 in four overs, completely changing the momentum of the contest during the middle phase.

Lungi Ngidi also delivered a crucial spell, picking up 3/27, including the wickets of Finn Allen, Manish Pandey, and Varun Chakravarthy. Mitchell Starc added two wickets, while Axar Patel chipped in with one scalp.

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Despite the defeat, Ajinkya Rahane’s fighting innings remained one of the few positives for Kolkata Knight Riders in an otherwise disappointing finish to their IPL 2026 campaign.