Delhi Capitals end IPL 2026 campaign with 40-run win as Kolkata Knight Riders collapse at Eden Gardens

Delhi Capitals finished their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with a commanding 40-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, as KL Rahul’s aggressive half-century and Kuldeep Yadav’s decisive spin spell turned the 70th match of the season into a one-sided finish.

Delhi Capitals posted 203 for 5 after Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first on Sunday, May 24. Kolkata Knight Riders began the chase with intent and reached a promising position through Ajinkya Rahane’s 63 off 39 balls, but the chase unravelled sharply once Kuldeep Yadav removed Cameron Green, Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh in a match-defining spell.

Kolkata Knight Riders were bowled out for 163 in 18.4 overs, ending seventh on the Indian Premier League 2026 table. Delhi Capitals moved above Kolkata Knight Riders to sixth, closing the league stage with seven wins and seven defeats. The match carried no playoff consequence by the time it began because Rajasthan Royals had already sealed the remaining playoff berth earlier in the day, leaving Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings eliminated from the race.

How did Delhi Capitals use KL Rahul’s fast start to build a 203-run total against Kolkata Knight Riders?

Delhi Capitals’ innings was built around KL Rahul’s 60 off 30 balls, an innings that gave Delhi Capitals early control after Kolkata Knight Riders opted to field first. KL Rahul struck five fours and four sixes, scoring at a strike rate of 200, and ensured Delhi Capitals did not drift into a conservative final-league-match rhythm.

Abishek Porel gave Delhi Capitals a useful start with 22 off 18 balls before falling to Saurabh Dubey. KL Rahul and Sahil Parakh then pushed Delhi Capitals from 40 for 1 to 87 for 2, with Sahil Parakh adding 24 off 17 balls. The scoring rate stayed above ten an over for long periods, creating the platform Delhi Capitals needed to cross 200.

Axar Patel, leading Delhi Capitals, added 39 off 25 balls with three fours and two sixes. David Miller contributed 28 off 19 balls, while Ashutosh Sharma remained unbeaten on 18 off 11 balls. Delhi Capitals finished on 203 for 5 in 20 overs, with 12 extras also helping the total.

Kolkata Knight Riders had brief moments of control with the ball. Saurabh Dubey took 2 for 28 in four overs, dismissing Abishek Porel and David Miller. Sunil Narine removed Sahil Parakh, Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Axar Patel, and Anukul Roy took the key wicket of KL Rahul. However, Kolkata Knight Riders could not maintain pressure for long enough to prevent Delhi Capitals from setting a 204-run target.

Kartik Tyagi’s four overs cost 55 runs, and that expensive spell became one of the pressure points in the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling card. Sunil Narine conceded 38 from four overs, while Varun Chakaravarthy returned 1 for 35 from his four overs. Delhi Capitals’ top and middle order converted starts into enough acceleration to make the target demanding.

Why did Kolkata Knight Riders lose control after Ajinkya Rahane kept the chase alive?

Kolkata Knight Riders began the chase as though they had a realistic shot at 204. Ajinkya Rahane played one of his strongest innings of the season, scoring 63 off 39 balls with four fours and four sixes. Finn Allen also contributed 20 off 13 balls, and Manish Pandey added 25 off 16 balls.

At 87 for 2 after 8.3 overs, Kolkata Knight Riders were still in the contest. The required rate was high, but the chase was not out of reach. Ajinkya Rahane was timing the ball cleanly, and Rovman Powell’s later 29 off 21 balls kept a flicker of resistance alive.

The collapse began when Kuldeep Yadav entered the game with decisive control. Cameron Green fell for 2, Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed at 128 for 4, and Rinku Singh was removed for a first-ball duck immediately after. Kolkata Knight Riders went from having a set captain at the crease to losing the spine of the chase in a short burst.

Tejasvi Dahiya was then bowled by Axar Patel for 1, leaving Kolkata Knight Riders at 129 for 6. From that point, Delhi Capitals were firmly ahead. Rovman Powell’s run out at 154 for 7 ended Kolkata Knight Riders’ last meaningful batting resistance. Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi then cleaned up the lower order.

Kolkata Knight Riders lost their last seven wickets for 67 runs after being 96 for 3, and the most damaging phase came between 128 for 3 and 129 for 6. In a chase of 204, that kind of middle-order crash leaves almost no recovery window. Kolkata Knight Riders did not just lose wickets, they lost scoring tempo, match control and dressing-room belief in the same phase.

How did Kuldeep Yadav and Delhi Capitals’ attack turn the match at Eden Gardens?

Kuldeep Yadav was named Player of the Match after taking 3 for 29 in four overs. The left-arm wrist-spinner’s spell was the centrepiece of Delhi Capitals’ win because it broke Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase at the exact moment when Ajinkya Rahane was threatening to take the game deep.

Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Cameron Green, Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh. The wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh in consecutive deliveries completely changed the match. Ajinkya Rahane had been Kolkata Knight Riders’ main scoring force, while Rinku Singh represented one of the side’s most trusted finishers. Removing both in the same over gave Delhi Capitals full control.

Delhi Capitals’ seamers backed the spin pressure well. Lungi Ngidi took 3 for 27 in 3.4 overs, dismissing Finn Allen, Manish Pandey and Varun Chakaravarthy. Mitchell Starc took 2 for 26 in three overs, removing Anukul Roy and Kartik Tyagi. Axar Patel added 1 for 38 from four overs by dismissing Tejasvi Dahiya.

The bowling card showed Delhi Capitals winning through distribution rather than dependence on one player alone. Kuldeep Yadav created the decisive rupture, Lungi Ngidi closed the innings, Mitchell Starc struck through the lower order, and Axar Patel ensured there was no counterattack after the middle overs.

For Delhi Capitals, the performance was a clean sign-off after a season that had already moved beyond playoff relevance. For Kolkata Knight Riders, the collapse underlined why the campaign ended outside the top four despite flashes of quality across the season.

What does the result mean for the Indian Premier League 2026 playoff picture after match 70?

The result did not alter the playoff lineup because Rajasthan Royals had already qualified before the Kolkata Knight Riders versus Delhi Capitals match began. The top four for the Indian Premier League 2026 playoffs were Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.

Delhi Capitals finished sixth with seven wins and seven defeats. Kolkata Knight Riders finished seventh, also ending outside the playoff field after a campaign that never fully stabilised. The league-stage finale therefore became less about qualification and more about finishing position, squad assessment and end-of-season momentum.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans moved into Qualifier 1, while Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals entered the Eliminator. That left Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings outside the knockout phase despite remaining in mathematical contention at different stages of the closing week.

For Delhi Capitals, the final win offered a more respectable closing note after a campaign of inconsistency. For Kolkata Knight Riders, the defeat at Eden Gardens sharpened questions around batting depth, chase management and the balance of the playing XI. A team that had playoff hopes before Rajasthan Royals’ earlier result ended the day with a heavy home defeat and another unfinished campaign.

What are the key takeaways from Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals, 70th Match, IPL 2026?

• Delhi Capitals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 40 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Delhi Capitals made 203 for 5 in 20 overs before bowling Kolkata Knight Riders out for 163 in 18.4 overs.
• KL Rahul top-scored for Delhi Capitals with 60 off 30 balls. His innings included five fours and four sixes and gave Delhi Capitals the platform for a 200-plus total.
• Ajinkya Rahane led Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase with 63 off 39 balls. His dismissal to Kuldeep Yadav triggered the decisive collapse in the Kolkata Knight Riders innings.
• Kuldeep Yadav was named Player of the Match after taking 3 for 29. He dismissed Cameron Green, Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh to break the chase open.
• Lungi Ngidi took 3 for 27 and Mitchell Starc claimed 2 for 26 for Delhi Capitals. Their spells ensured Kolkata Knight Riders’ lower order could not extend the chase.
• Delhi Capitals finished sixth and Kolkata Knight Riders finished seventh in IPL 2026. The playoff places had already been sealed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals, 70th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 scorecard