Here we are nearly two months after the league stage of IPL 2026 began. The four playoffs teams are finalised - they are RCB, GT, SRH and RR - but we don't leave the round-robin fixtures without a good game. It was a bit to and fro, but DC eventually beat KKR rather comfortably. We won't see both these teams in action until another year. But remember, this season's playoffs are just two days away. Until then, it's goodbye and good night!

Kuldeep Yadav is the Player of the Match: "I wasn't happy before this match because the way we wanted as a team, we didn't finish. I didn't have a great season. I was expecting more from myself. After the last game, I went back home and worked with my coach. I played one game over there. There are small things which you forget very quickly. I thought I was bowling a bit more open-chested. Sometimes you're not using your full body. That's where T20 batters are strong. It was a lovely game for me coming back from the last game. I was very clear with my plan. I saw the wicket in the first innings; it was a bit slow... The wicket of Rinku was the perfect example. It was a good ball to get him out. It happens [drop catch off the hat-trick ball]! The way I bowled, I'm pleased. When I spoke to my coach, he was very straightforward. He said you need to spin the ball; try to deceive the batter. When you spin the ball, there's chance of getting the batter out."

Axar Patel: "The way we played the last three matches, I'm very proud. We saw the effort right till the last match. First we need to accept our mistakes. It's a matter of one match. We played well most of the time. It was important to catch that momentum. It's a high-pressure tournament. At the end of the day, if you're in a good frame of mind, then you can take the wrong decision. It's important to stay calm. I give myself time if I feel frustrated. I feel SRH look the strongest. When their top three makes runs, they look so good."

Time for the presentations

Lungi Ngidi: "Tonight was good. We've had an up-and-down season. It makes it easier to look back and see where we went wrong. Just to minimise the small errors next time. It took me years [to work on the slower ball]. It has taken years to build the confidence to bowl it. When you play in certain conditions and do well, it builds your confidence. That T20 World Cup for me showed I can do it in these conditions. We definitely weren't a bottom-of-the-table team. Definitely happy to end on this note. Starc is making us step our game up! He's an absolute athlete. Seeing him do that puts a big smile on my face."

Kris: "Top 5 and bottom 5 in table are divided nicely by positive and negative NRR."

Ajinkya Rahane: "I was batting really well. I tried my chances. Just want to say the kind of season we had, really proud of each and everyone. The situation we were in, from there keeping the league alive... I'm proud of each and every individual. They put that effort going out there. We didn't qualify, which is disappointing. At the moment, guys have their commitments. We'll then probably connect over the call and have discussions. For me, just couple of days off. I'm going to play my local league in Mumbai."

11.25pm KKR lose 7 for 35 in just more than five overs. They fold for 163 in pursuit of 204 despite at one stage looking strong to end the season with a win. The collapse began when comeback man Kuldeep got a set Rahane for 60. As harsh as it gets, though, Porel dropped Dahiya on the hat-trick ball to deny the wristspinner three in a row. But Kuldeep still finished with 3 for 29, and set DC's win up.

18.4
W
Ngidi to Varun, OUT, got him!! Axar takes this at extra cover. DC win by 40 runs. Axar moved to his left after turning halfway. Ngidi had bowled a slower ball on a full length outside off. Varun went lofting, but couldn't get that away too far.

CV Varun c Patel b Ngidi 5 (7m 5b 1x4 0x6) SR: 100

18.3
0
Ngidi to Varun, no run, very full, slow and wide of off. Varun throws his bat at it, but is beaten
18.2
0
Ngidi to Varun, no run, a yorker around off, and squeezed to midwicket. Varun doesn't run
18.1
4
Ngidi to Varun, FOUR, Varun has some fun. Full toss on middle and off as the ball swings in, and Varun has a swing for four to fine leg

END OF OVER:
18 | 6 Runs 3 Wkts | KKR: 159/9 (45 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.83, RRR: 22.50)

  • Saurabh Dubey4 (2b)
  • Varun Chakravarthy1 (1b)
  • Mitchell Starc3-0-26-2
  • Lungi Ngidi3-0-23-2
17.6
4
Starc to Dubey, FOUR, it does, and even takes the outside edge. But Porel is beaten, and there's no slip either. Dubey is squared up by this full ball angling in which straightens. He pushes forward and gets an edge. Porel dives to his right, but can't get a hand

Will this one come in full and fast?

17.5
0
Starc to Dubey, no run, a yorker, but slightly wide of off. Jammed down to point

Dubey is the last man.

17.4
W
Starc to Kartik Tyagi, OUT, sliced to mid-off. KKR lose three in the over. Starc angled it in, and fired one very full on the stumps at 142kph. Tyagi had his front leg out of the way, and went lofting by opening the face of the bat. But he toe-ended it to Axar at mid-off as KKR's slide continues

Kartik Tyagi c Patel b Starc 0 (3m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Tyagi facing his first ball.

17.3
1
Starc to Varun, 1 run, ohh, Varun is hobbling while running this single. He chips this full ball on off towards mid-on, and struggles to even run

Starc from around.

Varun.

17.2
W
Starc to Roy, OUT, Starc gets Roy!! He moves to his left, and waits for this skier to dip. This is on the shorter side of a length on off, and Roy went heaving across the line. But the extra bounce meant it took the higher part of the bat, and went straight back up. Easy take for Starc

AS Roy c & b Starc 9 (17m 8b 1x4 0x6) SR: 112.5

17.1
W
Starc to Roy, 1 run, OUT, direct hit at the bowler's end!! It's the sub fielder Rizvi at long-off. Starc bowled a full ball around off, and Roy drove that back hard and aerially towards long-off. Rizvi picked the ball up and threw it flat. Starc realised it was hitting the stumps and let it be, and it indeed struck to find Powell short

R Powell run out 29 (41m 21b 3x4 1x6) SR: 138.09

Starc back.

END OF OVER:
17 | 11 Runs | KKR: 153/6 (51 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.00, RRR: 17.00)

  • Rovman Powell29 (21b)
  • Anukul Roy8 (6b)
  • Lungi Ngidi3-0-23-2
  • Kuldeep Yadav4-0-29-3
16.6
4
Ngidi to Powell, FOUR, another perfect yorker, but this time Powell gets a thick inside edge. The ball swings in and arrives on middle. Powell has a heave, but gets it past the leg stump after swinging his bat early
16.5
1
Ngidi to Roy, 1 run, lovely execution. Slow and full, and bang on a yorker length on middle. Roy can only squeeze it to point
16.4
0
Ngidi to Roy, no run, full toss wide of off, and driven back to Ngidi with a flat bat
16.3
4
Ngidi to Roy, FOUR, just over the man leaping at extra cover. It was Miller there. Roy chipped this slower ball which was full and wide of off, and nearly got dismissed. The ball went in the gap between long-off and deep cover point
16.2
1
Ngidi to Powell, 1 run, great bowling. This is a yorker at 135kph. This lands bang on off, and Powell gets a bottom edge on to his boot before the ball deflects to the off side

Powell has to take the lead for KKR.

16.1
1
Ngidi to Roy, 1 run, full and slow, and just outside off. Pushed to deep cover point

Ngidi back. Around the wicket.

KKR need to go at 15.50 runs an over.

KKR 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st43AM RahaneFH Allen
2nd44AM RahaneMK Pandey
3rd9AM RahaneC Green
4th32AM RahaneR Powell
5th0RK SinghR Powell
6th1R PowellT Dahiya
7th25R PowellAS Roy
8th0AS RoyKartik Tyagi
9th1CV VarunKartik Tyagi
10th8CV VarunSR Dubey