Delhi Capitals overcame a poor batting Powerplay to storm to their second highest successful run chase that keeps them alive in IPL 2026. On a surface that helped quicks, PBKS scored 205/5, but they were unable to hold on as the trio of Axar Patel, David Miller, and Ashutosh Sharma stole the game from the middle overs on. This was the ninth time PBKS failed to defend a 200-plus total in IPL, falling to their fourth straight defeat. Mitchell Starc offered Priyansh Arya a hit-me full ball first up, which the left-hander smashed for a six, the first of his six such hits inside the Powerplay. Arya had appeared a little shaky in the previous few outings. Starc was all over the place in an erratic 22-run first over, where a short ball flew over KL Rahul's diving hand for five wides, a leading edge from Arya went for another six and Prabhsimran put away an overpitched ball for a four. Arya cleared the square leg fence against Auqib Nabi and then tonked two more sixes off Lungi Ngidi to get going. PBKS got to their fastest team fifty in 2.4 overs, but that was followed by a relatively tight over from Nabi worth eight runs. On the first ball of the sixth over, Arya scored a half-century off 24 balls, and Nabi bowled well to give up just two singles. However, there was something in the pitch for the pacers, and PBKS reached 72/0. In his team's three consecutive defeats, the PBKS captain appeared uncharacteristically scratchy and out of touch, but he ignored that in Dharamsala. To such an extent that even a erroneous push after Lungi Ngidi failed to read a slower one flew over the far fence for a six. During his knock, he hit a lot more powerful shots, the best of which was the six over deep extra cover against Madhav Tiwari to reach his half-century. Even though his numbers of 2-40 aren't the most accurate, he performed well. He bowled with numerous variations and smarts. When he found the deep point fielder, Arya, who was eager to pounce on the bowlers, took his first IPL wicket. Tiwari also prised out PBKS' most recent centurion Cooper Connolly with a well disguised slower bouncer. Tiwari's otherwise impressive evening was marred by a 19-run fourth over. The Australian appeared to make up for the 22 runs he gave up at the beginning, but Suryansh Shedge wouldn't take it. The first two balls of the 19th over saw Starc bowl out Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis, but Shedge hit his hat trick ball over long on for a six. He then went deep into the crease to get a boundary ball because he thought Starc would hit a yorker. Shedge pulled Starc's final ball around the stumps with disdain for a six over deep midwicket. There was no room for exuberance here. The Delhi Capitals just fell apart. Abishek Porel's middle stump was smashed by Yash Thakur, KL Rahul was bowled out by Marco Jansen, and Yuzvendra Chahal was caught at short third by Sahil Parakh with a cramped ramp shot. With that, DC were down to 33/3. In just six overs, Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs elevated them to 48/3. Dew, a slick outfield, and Axar and Miller's determined duo Connolly's excellent direct hit caused DC to lose Stubbs in the ninth over, bringing Axar and Miller together. As their stand grew, dew made its presence felt more and more, and fielders kept losing their footing in the deep. On the night, Axar was particularly untethered, throwing his bat at a wet ball that landed nicely on the bat. The DC captain scored more in this innings than he'd done all season, but his wicket in the 14th over - tonking a Stoinis delivery to Ben Dwarshuis at long-on, came at the worst possible time for the chasers. The Arsheep-shaped void was felt. Miller hit his South African teammate Marco Jansen to make up for the previous over. He scored 15 runs off it before welcoming Dwarshuis with two big sixes in the 17th over for a 27-ball fifty. Even though he fell to a contender for the catch of the season by Prabhsimran Singh, runs continued to come. Tiwari arrived and casually cut one behind point for a four as 17 came from the over. Ashutosh Sharma slammed a four and a six with glee as Stoinis repeatedly offered balls in the slot. Tiwari then joined in, as he too got offered a hittable delivery that he deposited over deep backward square leg. The equation was reduced to just 19 runs off 12 with this 19-run over. All of that came off Yash Thakur in the penultimate over: Tiwari won without losing with 18 off 8, Ashutosh lost for 24 off 10, and Auqib Nabi came in to add the final two runs with a four and a six. In the spin-all game, there was not a single over. The match finished with 39 pace overs, which is the second most in an IPL game. Axar didn't come on for the full 20 overs, and Shreyas also kept Yuzvendra Chahal out. Delhi Capitals are heading back home for a game against Rajasthan Royals six days later on May 17. On May 14, the Punjab Kings take on the Mumbai Indians in Dharamsala.