Delhi Capitals closed out their IPL 2026 campaign on a high note, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 40 runs at Eden Gardens on Sunday, 24 May. A blistering 60 off 30 balls from KL Rahul and a disciplined bowling display from Lungi Ngidi (3-27) and Kuldeep Yadav (3-29) steered DC to a comprehensive victory, even as the result came too late to alter their sixth-place finish in the standings.

DC Batting: Rahul Sets the Platform

Put in to bat, Delhi Capitals posted 203/5 in 20 overs — their highest total at Eden Gardens. Rahul was the centrepiece, racing to his fifth fifty of the season off just 25 balls and finishing with 60 off 30 at a strike rate of 200. Opener Abishek Porel contributed a brisk 22 before edging Saurabh Dubey behind, while teenager Sahil Parakh struck 24, targeting both Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy with authority.

Axar Patel added a composed 39 off 25, including two sixes, before falling to Chakravarthy in the 17th over. David Miller then took over in the death, clobbering Dubey for three sixes en route to 28 off 19, while Ashutosh Sharma remained unbeaten on 18. DC plundered 63 runs in the final five overs, aided by dropped catches from KKR, to set a stiff target of 204.

KKR Chase: Rahane Fights, Kuldeep Turns the Tide

Kolkata Knight Riders began their chase with intent. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen put on 43 for the opening wicket before Ngidi bowled Allen for 20. Manish Pandey joined Rahane and the pair added 44 runs, but Ngidi returned to dismiss Pandey for 25 with a sharp catch by Mitchell Starc. Cameron Green fell cheaply to Kuldeep, leaving KKR at 98/3 after 10 overs.

Rahane reached his fifty in 31 balls and looked capable of engineering a late charge, but Kuldeep struck twice in the 13th over, removing Rahane for 63 and Rinku Singh in successive deliveries. Kuldeep nearly completed a hat-trick when Tejasvi Dahiya edged behind, only for Porel to put down a straightforward chance. Axar Patel then castled Dahiya for just 1. From 128/3, KKR collapsed dramatically, losing their last seven wickets for 35 runs, folding for 163 all out in 18.4 overs. Rovman Powell was run out for 29 in the final stages before Ngidi and Starc cleaned up the tail.

Bowling Performances

Ngidi was the pick of the DC attack with 3-27, his three victims being Allen, Pandey, and a lower-order batter. Kuldeep, who had gone wicketless across three consecutive matches heading into this game, bounced back sharply with 3-29, his double strike in the 13th over proving the decisive intervention. Axar Patel and Starc also contributed to the dismissals as DC bowled with discipline throughout.

Season Finale and What It Means

The win was a fitting send-off for Delhi Capitals, who despite finishing sixth on the points table, demonstrated their batting depth and bowling variety in this final outing. For Kolkata Knight Riders — three-time IPL champions — the defeat meant they ended the season as they had begun it, on a losing note. Notably, KKR's lower-order collapse underlined a recurring fragility that surfaced at critical moments through the campaign. Both sides will look to regroup ahead of the next edition.

Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 203/5 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 60, Axar Patel 39; Saurabh Dubey 2-28, Anukul Roy 1-23) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 163 all out in 18.4 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 63, Rovman Powell 29; Lungi Ngidi 3-27, Kuldeep Yadav 3-29) by 40 runs.