DC vs GT, IPL 2026: ‘Only if‘, these are two words that described the epic contest which took place between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. South African swashbuckling David Miller could have been the hero of the match, with his serious knock, but it was not meant to be, courtesy of what has been a misjudgment of epic proportions.
DC vs GT Turnaround: With 13 required off the final over, Delhi Capitals were all set to finish the game after scoring 23 runs in the last over. Miller and Vipraj Nigam were the set batters who looked confident to pull off the 211-run chase, as anyone would back the chasing side to win the game. With two required off two balls, Miller denied a single to Kuldeep on the penultimate ball, leaving two needed in one. Miller missed the final ball, and Kuldeep was run out by Buttler while looking for a single.
GT players rallied around the stadium in delight, with DC players with their hands on their heads.
Many on social media are terming it Miller’s ‘Lance Klusener moment from the 1999 WC. Check out the reactions here:
Did Miller pull off a Klusener tonight? pic.twitter.com/wvkfWRPk3L
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) April 8, 2026
That was the worst when they had already 2 balls remaining & anyway that was an epic high pressure semifinal World Cup match between 2 top sides 🔥. These IPL things happen every year, but still disappointing ending for DC today.
— Cricket Nostalgiation (@RiteshJ88156274) April 8, 2026
I think it was Donald’s error.
Donald was a 2 world cup veteran. IMO, he should have talked to Klusener after the 2nd boundary. Calmed down the nerves.
Not only that, he should have run after Klusener called because the ball went behind Donald’s back.
The exact replica of…
— Dr Devavrat Harshe (@DocDevavrat) April 9, 2026
We Could Have Played Smarter: Axar Patel
Axar Patel acknowledged that his side could have played smarter while chasing the 211-run target.
A sensational 92 from KL Rahul and a valiant effort from David Miller gave DC their first win and handed over DC’s first defeat of the season.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Patel said, “I think both teams played very good, Very good cricket. In this type of close game, you can point out anything. So I think, we played very good cricket. In a close chase, in a close game, you can point out a lot of things. But I think in the chase, we could have played smarter. The crucial time at which the wickets fell, I think if that hadn’t happened, we could have finished the chase earlier.”
Speaking about KL Rahul, the DC skipper said, “KL played a very good innings. The way the power play was going, after that, he kept the momentum going. When the wickets were falling, he kept the momentum going from one side. He did not let the run-rate go down. So I think it was very good batting. I think we are playing good cricket, and yes, we will finish in the next match.”
The match followed a nail-biting finish. Miller missed a single on the penultimate ball of the last over during the chase, leaving two needed in one. He missed the final ball, and Kuldeep got run out by Buttler while stealing a single.
DC is standing at fourth spot in the table with two wins and a loss, while GT has come to sixth spot with a win and two losses.
(with agency inputs)
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
