New Delhi, April 9 (NationPress) On a chilly Wednesday night, the atmosphere at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was charged with excitement. The Delhi Capitals required just two runs from the last two balls to secure a hat-trick of victories in IPL 2026.

Adding to the excitement, the explosive David Miller was still at the crease, having hammered Prasidh Krishna for a massive 106m six that landed on the top tier of the North West stand, right after Krishna dismissed Vipraj Nigam.

Memories flashed back to Miller’s days with GT, where he hit three consecutive sixes off Krishna, who was then with Rajasthan Royals, clinching Qualifier 1 in IPL 2022 when 16 runs were needed off the final six balls. In sports, while fans remember every detail, the results often do not entertain sentiment.

In New Delhi, Miller's thrilling late innings, having retired hurt on 12 after being struck on his left hand in the 13th over, set up a scenario requiring two runs from two balls. Miller and Kuldeep had an extended discussion in the middle as the tension mounted in both teams’ dugouts and among the fans.

The strategy was simple – take a single on the penultimate ball to level the scores, allowing Kuldeep to face the final ball, with the possibility of a Super Over looming. However, not taking the single would mean Miller retained the strike for the decisive delivery.

This exact scenario unfolded when Prasidh bowled a short, slower delivery, and while Miller pulled the ball towards deep square leg, they chose not to run. Following some dialogue among Prasidh, Shubman Gill, and Rahul Tewatia, three fielders were placed near the leg-side boundary, anticipating a big shot from Miller.

The last ball from Prasidh was another slower bouncer outside the off-stump. Miller swung but missed, and in a last-ditch effort, he and Kuldeep sprinted but fell short as Jos Buttler executed a swift underarm throw to the stumps.

As GT began their celebrations for a thrilling win, more drama unfolded – Miller opted for a wide review, but the graphics indicated his head height was at 1.87 meters, while the ball was at 1.75 meters. Not a wide call; celebrations continued for GT, while Miller, who had propelled DC with a remarkable 41 off 20 balls, was left emotional over the case of ‘so close, yet so far’ that halted DC’s pursuit of three consecutive wins.

“We haven’t talked about it yet, but sometimes these things happen in cricket,” remarked DC opener Pathum Nissanka in the post-match conference regarding Miller’s decision not to take the single on the penultimate ball.

GT leg-spinner Rashid Khan shared his perspective: “I think during our last three balls, eight runs were needed when it came down to two runs from two balls. It was a very close game, but we just needed one ball to clinch the victory.”

In an interview with broadcasters, GT captain Shubman Gill explained that opting for slower deliveries was an easy choice when Miller declined the single. “We knew we had a chance to win. We discussed whether to go for a yorker or a slower ball. Given the pitch conditions, we felt a good slower ball would be tough for Miller to hit for a boundary.”

Outside the stadium, DC fans were left pondering the same agonizing question: why didn’t Miller take that single? In T20 cricket, a one-run defeat leads to endless discussions about what could have been. Miller’s decision was a calculated risk, made fully aware of the stakes, as he aimed to lead DC to victory but ultimately fell short by just one run, resulting in a heartbreaking near-miss.