Bengaluru, April 18 (NationPress) In a thrilling finale, David Miller smashed two towering sixes in the last over to lead Delhi Capitals to a hard-fought six-wicket win against the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. This victory marked the end of their two-match losing streak in the IPL 2026.

RCB's aggressive start resulted in a total of 175/8, but their middle order faltered against the exceptional death-over bowling by DC. As they chased a target of 176 on a pitch that became increasingly difficult to bat on, DC successfully crossed the finish line with just one ball remaining, finally overcoming the disappointment of a one-run defeat to the Gujarat Titans earlier this month.

On his birthday, KL Rahul (57) and Tristan Stubbs (60 not out) set a solid foundation for the chase, while Miller's explosive finish came after he hammered Romario Shepherd for two sixes and a four in the final over, needing 15 runs to win. This match also marked the end of RCB's two-game winning streak and their first home loss of the season.

The chase began poorly for DC, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a masterclass in the powerplay. He dismissed Pathum Nissanka with a plumb lbw in the first over and later took out Karun Nair and Sameer Rizvi with outswingers, leaving DC in a tough spot at 18/3. However, local favorite Rahul stepped up.

Rahul, boasting an impressive average of 69.9 against RCB, took on Josh Hazlewood in the fifth over, hitting a six and a four that showcased his batting prowess. Together with Stubbs, they formed a vital 76-run partnership, with Rahul reaching his fifty in just 30 balls.

Sadly, he fell shortly after, caught at long-off off Krunal Pandya, leaving DC in a precarious position. Stubbs then took charge, finding boundaries against Rasikh Salam Dar and Suyash Sharma. Captain Axar Patel contributed 26 runs but had to retire hurt due to cramps.

His exit sparked a tight phase from RCB's bowlers, with Krunal, Bhuvneshwar, and Hazlewood combining to allow just 13 runs in overs 15 to 17, leaving DC with 37 runs needed from the last 18 balls. Stubbs managed to keep the momentum alive, reaching his fifty off 41 balls, but the pressure mounted with 15 runs required in the final over.

Patidar handed the ball to Romario Shepherd for his first over of the match. After a single and a leg-bye, Miller launched a low full-toss into the mid-wicket stand for six. He followed up with a brilliant lofted drive over extra-cover for another maximum, sealing the game with a flick to the mid-wicket boundary to secure the win for DC.

Earlier, DC's disciplined death-over bowling ensured RCB was limited to a score that was competitive but below par. Despite a blistering 63 off 38 balls from opener Phil Salt, RCB's innings faltered significantly in the latter stages, as DC managed to restrict them to just 29 runs in the last five overs, thanks to outstanding performances from Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar.

RCB got off to a quick start, with Salt playing aggressively from the outset, hitting a boundary in the first over off Auqib Nabi Dar. Virat Kohli (19) added to the score with a classic aerial drive but fell victim to Ngidi, mis-timing a delivery to deep cover.

Salt continued his assault, reaching his second fifty of the season with a massive six against Kuldeep Yadav. However, the introduction of spin turned the tide in favor of DC.

Axar Patel had Devdutt Padikkal caught at long-on, while Kuldeep struck a crucial blow in the 11th over by dismissing Salt and Mukesh followed up by taking out the in-form Rajat Patidar. Tim David briefly ignited RCB’s innings with 26 runs, including a six that marked his 1000th IPL run.

However, Axar struck again, dismissing David, while Romario Shepherd was trapped lbw by Kuldeep as RCB fell from 110/3 to 149/6. The final two overs showcased DC’s pace attack's dominance. Natarajan was exceptional in the 19th over, conceding just two runs.

The frustrations for RCB culminated in the 20th over when Krunal Pandya was run out after a mix-up, and Jitesh Sharma fell to a slower cutter from Ngidi. DC navigated through some tense moments to secure the win thanks to the efforts of Rahul, Stubbs, and Miller.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 175/8 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 63, Tim David 26; Axar Patel 2-18, Kuldeep Yadav 2-32) lost to Delhi Capitals 179/4 in 19.5 overs (Tristan Stubbs 60 not out, KL Rahul 57; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-26, Krunal Pandya 1-24) by six wickets