A pulsating contest delivered the most dramatic finish of IPL 2026 so far, as Gujarat Titans edged Delhi Capitals by a solitary run in New Delhi on Wednesday night. In a match that ebbed and flowed till the final delivery, it was Jos Buttler’s presence of mind — an under-arm direct hit to run out Kuldeep Yadav — and David Miller’s brain fade to not run a single off the penultimate balls, with the host needing two off two, that sealed a remarkable win for Gujarat and handed them their first points of the campaign.
Chasing a daunting 211, Delhi’s innings was a story of sharp turns. At one stage, KL Rahul appeared to be scripting a match-winning effort almost single-handedly, his 92 off 52 balls a blend of control and calculated aggression. But just as Delhi seemed to be building a solid platform, a flurry of wickets shifted the momentum firmly in Gujarat’s favour.
The chase had begun brightly enough. Pathum Nissanka was fluent from the outset, driving elegantly through the off side and straight down the ground in a breezy 41 off 24 balls. Alongside him, Rahul initially played a supporting role during an opening stand of 71 in just over eight overs. But once Nissanka fell to Prasidh Krishna, Delhi’s innings began to unravel.
Rashid Khan then delivered a decisive blow, removing Nitish Rana and Sameer Rizvi off successive deliveries. Suddenly, Rahul found himself marshalling a collapsing middle order, forced to shift gears while wickets continued to fall around him. When skipper Axar Patel followed soon after, Delhi were staring at a steep climb.
The situation worsened when Miller was forced to retire hurt with a bruised finger, leaving Rahul isolated. At that point, the equation read 81 needed off 42 balls — a daunting ask even for a set batter. Rahul responded in style, accelerating to 76 at a strike rate nearing 180, but the pressure kept mounting.
Tristan Stubbs’ run-out following a moment of hesitation only deepened Delhi’s troubles, and when Rahul fell for 92 — edging a wide delivery from Mohammed Siraj — Gujarat seemed firmly in control. With 36 required off the final 12 balls, the game looked all but done.
Enter Miller.
Returning to the crease after his injury, Miller unleashed a breath-taking counter-attack. He tore into Siraj with a sequence of 6, 4, 6 in a 23-run over that swung the pendulum dramatically back towards Delhi. Suddenly, the equation was down to 13 off the final over, and with Miller in full flow, the hosts appeared favourites.
A towering 106-metre six from Miller brought the equation down to two runs needed off two balls. Delhi were on the brink. Yet, in a moment that will be replayed countless times, Miller refused a straightforward single that would have tied the match and handed the strike to Kuldeep Yadav.
That decision proved decisive.
Prasidh held his nerve to deliver a slower bouncer on the final ball. Miller swung and missed. Kuldeep set off for a desperate run, but Buttler, alert and composed, executed a sharp under-arm direct hit at the striker’s end to seal a dramatic one-run win.
Miller’s 41 off 19 balls had nearly pulled off the improbable, but his late hesitation overshadowed an otherwise extraordinary effort.
Earlier in the evening, GT had posted 210, a total that felt slightly underwhelming given their position at various stages. Shubman Gill’s 70 off 45 balls anchored the innings, though it was an effort of fluctuating tempo.Buttler had provided early impetus with a blistering 52, striking five sixes in a rapid cameo.
The standout contribution, however, came from Washington Sundar, who registered his maiden IPL fifty. Promoted up the order, Sundar injected momentum with a dynamic innings, racing to 30 off just 13 balls at on e stage and finishing strongly.
Yet, Gujarat’s inability to fully capitalize at the death — scoring only 58 runs in the final six overs — left the door ajar for Delhi. Mukesh Kumar’s disciplined final over ensured the Titans did not run away with the game, restricting Glenn Phillips and keeping the target within reach.
In the end, though, this was a match defined by moments — a run-out here, a misjudgement there — and above all, by a finish that encapsulated the chaos and brilliance of T20 cricket. Gujarat held their nerve when it mattered most, while Delhi were left to rue what might have been.
