Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals IPL, 2026, Full Score Card

OUT! MISTIMED AND CAUGHT! DC comprehensively beat KKR by 40 runs. At just 112.7 kph. Ngidi floats another slow, dipping off-cutter full outside off. Chakaravarthy goes after it again, doesn't pick the variation and swings hard. Gets the connection off the toe end and slices it uppishly towards cover, where Axar takes a few steps by turning back and pouches a simple catch to end KKR's misery. From 96/2, the Knight Riders have been bowled out on 163. Ngidi finishes off with a spectacular three-for.

Wide yorker, with pace taken off, outside off. Varun Chakaravarthy has to reach for it to work it through the off side but misses to connect.

A yorker at 137.6 kph, on middle. Varun jams the bat down and flicks it to deep mid-wicket but denies the run.

FOUR! Races through! Low full toss, slanting onto the pads. Varun Chakaravarthy whips it off the inner half and finds the gap at deep backward square leg for a boundary.

FOUR! Edged and beats the keeper! Very full, almost a yorker, around off and it straightens off the deck. Saurabh Dubey looks to tap it into the off side, but ekes an outside edge and the ball beats the diving Abishek Porel behind the wickets, to his right and races away to the fence.

From around the stump, this is a yorker, outside off, at 144.2 kph. Saurabh Dubey drops the bat down and steers it to backward point.

Saurabh Dubey is the last man in.

OUT! TAKEN EASILY! This has been a monumental collapse from the Knight Riders. Full on off stump, angling into the batter. Kartik backs away to leg and goes for the lofted slash over mid off, but mistimes it completely. Chips a simple catch to Axar Patel, who settles under it and takes the catch. KKR are 156/9. DC need just 1 wicket to win.

Full and tailing in on the legs. Chakaravarthy gets his bat down just in time and chips it softly towards a vacant mid on for a run.

Varun Chakaravarthy walks in at number 10.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Starc gets his first wicket as Roy falls. Length ball on off, tailing back in at 144.2 kph. Anukul Roy backs away to leg and looks to muscle it down the ground, but gets a splice off the top of the bat. The ball is sliced and balloons straight up and Starc, in his follow-through, calls for it, runs a bit to his left and settles under it and takes it cleanly.

Rovman Powell departs. Kartik Tyagi is the new batter.

OUT! POWELL IS RUN OUT! That should be the game for the Capitals. A sensational piece of fielding by Rizvi. Starc misses the yorker by a yard or so, on off. Anukul Roy carves it over the bowler and they run the first one but there is a slight hesitation for the second run before they eventually get the skates on for it. Sameer Rizvi runs across to his left from long off and fires in a direct hit at the non-striker's end where Powell is caught short by a fair bit. KKR are 154/7, needing 50 runs from 17 balls.

FOUR! Inside edge and runs away! Spears another yorker by attacking the pads, Rovman Powell tries to take it on the full to tonk it over the off side, but gets a thick inside edge onto the pads before the ball runs between the keeper and the short fine leg fielder for a boundary. KKR need 51 runs off 18 balls.

Varies the pace again by executing the slower yorker, on middle and off. Roy jams the bat down and squeezes it between cover and point for an easy single.

Oh, a low full toss at 132.9 kph and it moves away while dipping, far outside off. Roy tries to drive it away but gets a bottom edge back to the bowler.

FOUR! Just clears the in-field! Goes pace off, on off and full in length. Anukul Roy has to wait for months for the ball to arrive and carves it over David Miller at extra cover for a boundary.

Fires in a yorker on middle, at pace at 135.1 kph. Rovman Powell looks to flick it away, but inside edges it onto the boot and it gets deflected behind the stumps on the off side for a single.

There's the slower dipping yorker, around off. Roy carves it away to deep point for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Time for the final break in the league stage of this season. Delhi Capitals have made massive inroads in this middle over phase with Kuldeep Yadav turning the screws on. KKR have lost most of their trusted batters in the slide from 96/2 to 129/6. They still require 62 runs from 24 balls with the last recognised batting pair in the middle. Though it's doable, but both of these batters will have to bat till the end. Powell is capable and everyone knows his might and that's the wicket DC would be aiming for to slam the door shut. Lungi Ngidi is back on. 2-0-12-2 so far are his bowling figures.

FOUR! A much-needed boundary for Kolkata Knight Riders! Short ball, on middle and leg, Rovman Powell latches onto it and pulls it powerfully hrough square leg for a boundary.

Flighted up, on middle, Rovman Powell tries to block it but miscues it to the cover fielder.

Two wides! Sprays it down the leg side, Anukul Roy looks to flick it but misses. The keeper fails to stop it as the ball deflects off the right pad and rolls behind to deep fine leg. Auqib Nabi mops it up as the batters collect a run.

Much fuller, on leg, Rovman Powell flicks it through square leg for a single.

Beaten! Flatter, outside off, turning away. Rovman Powell looks to block it but misses.

Down the leg side, Rovman Powell looks to flick it but misses. The ball brushes his pads and goes to the keeper. A stifled appeal for caught behind, but the umpire is unmoved.

Two is the call from Powell straightaway and they will get it. Flighted up, on leg, Rovman Powell tucks it through backward square leg for a brace. Good running between the wickets.

Fired in, full and on off, Rovman Powell taps it to cover for a quick single.

Nice and full, on off, Rovman Powell pushes it to the point fielder.

Axar Patel keeps it on middle and leg, Anukul Roy turns it to square leg for another run.

Fired in, on off, Rovman Powell knocks it down to long off for a single.

Short, on off, Anukul Roy pushes it to mid off for a single.

KKR are shellshocked with the slide. 96/2 becomes 129/6 for the hosts. Anukul Roy is in at number 8.

OUT! CHOPPED ON! Another one bites the dust, and this chase is falling apart for the Kolkata Knight Riders. An arm ball, on off, and it keeps a tad low while drifting in. Tejasvi Singh makes room and tries to play the pull shot by using the depth of the crease, but gets an inside edge. The ball rattles the middle pole and Kolkata Knight Riders are in huge trouble now. They are 129/6 after 14.1 overs.

Quicker one, on middle and leg, Rovman Powell knocks it to mid on for a single.

Short, on off, Tejasvi Singh taps it through point for a single.

DROPPED! Kuldeep Yadav's hat-trick goes begging and he is livid. Understandably so. Kuldeep comes around the wicket and lands the googly, full in the channel around off. It turns away and takes the feather of the outside edge through to the keeper, but Porel fails to take the catch. The ball deflects to the first slip, but lands wide of Axar Patel. The hat-trick ball has gone to waste.

This is an enormous wicket for the Capitals. 96/2 becomes 128/5 for the Knight Riders. The hosts still require 76 runs from 39 balls. Tejasvi Singh is in at number 7 and will face the Hat Trick ball.

OUT! TAKEN! Back-to-back wickets for Kuldeep Yadav and Rinku Singh departs for a golden duck. Fired in from Kuldeep Yadav, on off, Rinku Singh makes room and looks to loft it, but mistimes his stroke completely. The ball carries towards wide long off. Tristan Stubbs runs to his right, dives, and takes the catch just inches above the ground. Kuldeep Yadav is on a hat-trick now.

The budding 32-run partnership is broken by Kuldeep as he has his second wicket. Rinku Singh is the new batter in at number 6.

OUT! TAKEN! Ajinkya Rahane holes out in the deep. A big wicket for Delhi Capitals. Kuldeep Yadav follows Ajinkya Rahane down the leg side. Rahane moves to his left and looks to loft it. He doesn't quite get the meat of the bat on it and the ball carries towards long on. David Miller settles under it and takes a fine catch with a reverse cup. Kolkata Knight Riders are 128/4 after 13.3 overs.

Much fuller, on middle and leg, Ajinkya Rahane flicks it in the gap through mid-wicket for a brace.

Nice and full, on off, Ajinkya Rahane pushes it down to long on for a single.

Wide! A wayward bouncer, down leg, Ajinkya Rahane leaves. Wide called.

Good comeback after conceding a six on the first ball. Length, on off, Rovman Powell taps it to widish point for a run.

Slows it up, on off, Ajinkya Rahane knocks it to mid on for another single.

Back of a length, on off, Rovman Powell punches it to wide of mid off for a single.

A tad fuller, wide outside off, Rovman Powell taps it to the fielder at backward point.

SIX! That is some shot from Rovman Powell! Madhav Tiwari bangs it short, on middle, Rovman Powell swivels and pulls it powerfully over deep backward square leg for a six.

Kolkata Knight Riders need 89 runs from 48 balls. Pace back on as Madhav Tiwari (1-0-9-0) returns into the attack, replacing Axar Patel.

Dragged shorter this time, Ajinkya Rahane hops on the back foot and works it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Flighted full and around off, dips on the batter. Powell whips it to deep mid-wicket and collects a single.

FOUR! Swept and swept well. Full and on leg stump, Powell sits down and sweeps it firmly to the right of deep square leg for a boundary, second in the over.

Swing and a miss! A big googly now, floated up around off. Rovman Powell looks to heave it leg side but fails to connect.

Length ball on off, tapped away into the off side for a single.

FOUR! There's the boundary. Tossed up, full and on middle, Ajinkya Rahane prods forward and punches it uppishly, to the left of Kuldeep and firmly for a boundary.

A bit shorter now, at the stumps, worked off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for another single. The boundaries have dried up for KKR.

FIFTY up for Ajinkya Rahane, his 2nd of the season. Off 31 balls. This is his 35th IPL half-century as well. Good length on off and middle, worked away between long on and deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. His previous fifty this season came in the first league game against MI. So it has taken a long while for the captain to get to his milestone.

Length ball outside off, driven straight to cover.

A touch full around off, pushed out into the off side.

The arm-ball now, darted in towards middle. Powell punches it off the back foot to long off for one more. 100 up for KKR as well.

Good length on off, tucked away to the right of long on for a single.

Halfway through the chase. KKR are 98/3, needing 106 from 60 balls. Axar Patel is back on. 2-0-29-0 so far.

Nagging length on middle, turning in. Rahane rocks back and just nudges it across through square leg for a run.

Slight halt! Kuldeep Yadav has slipped on the follow-through, and he has twisted his right ankle. He is down on the ground, and the physio is out in the middle to have a look. Kuldeep gets rid of his right boot to get the treatment. All fine now and we are good to continue...

Around off stump, Rovman Powell stays back and just pats it down through mid off for a single.

A short stay for Cameron Green. Rovman Powell is the new man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust and Kuldeep Yadav picks up a wicket in his first over. Kuldeep Yadav dishes out a googly, relatively full and outside off. Cameron Green gets forward and looks to tonk it down the ground, but ends up slicing it. The ball sails down to long off where David Miller takes a well-judged catch and KKR are now 96/3.

Flighted this time, on off, Rahane lunges and flicks it in front of mid-wicket this time for a single.

Full again, flatter on off. Green heaves it across to long on for one more.

Tossed full and on leg, wristed away in front of square leg for a single by Rahane.

Served full and straight, eased down to long on for a single.

FOUR! Stellar placement. Slower ball, on a length, but wide outside off. Ajinkya Rahane waits well, opens the bat face and angles it between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Full-pitched delivery, angling into off. Cameron Green leans on and drives it to long off for a run.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Kolkata Knight Riders are 87/2, and they now need 117 runs from 69 balls. Delhi Capitals have managed to break this gritty stand, and they will look to build on this. Kolkata Knight Riders will try to stitch another stand now and get the game under their control. Also, let's hope that the drizzle goes away and it doesn't interrupt the game. Cameron Green walks in to bat now...

OUT! CAUGHT! Mitchell Starc helps his fellow pacer out and takes a stunning catch. Lungi Ngidi serves this one just back of a length and lands it on off and middle. Manish Pandey leans back and tries to power it over long on, but doesn't get the connection. Starc charges to his right from long on and does well to dive and snaffle the dipping ball with two hands. There's an umpire's review to check the legality of the catch and after a couple of replays, it is deemed a clean catch with Starc's fingers cleanly under the ball. Ngidi picks up another wicket.

It has started to drizzle here at the Eden Gardens. The groundsmen are ready with the covers on the sidelines. The umpires feel it is not that heavy enough to take the players off the field. Let's hope it is a passing shower.

Another slower one, full and outside off, Rahane gets low and taps it square through the off side for one more.

Slower one to begin with. Back of a length and around off, Manish Pandey dabs it into the off side for a single.

A smidge fuller on the stumps. Rahane clips it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a couple of runs. A massive over for the Knight Riders, as 21 runs come off it.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! In-dipper into the hitting arc, full and around off. Rahane gets on the front foot by planting it to the leg side and thumps it down the ground for another biggie.

SIX! Runs come thick and fast for KKR! Full in length, tossed up outside off. Ajinkya Rahane stays leg side, keeps his shape intact and lofts it inside out over wide long off for a huge six.

Slides one onto the pads, full in length, at 86.2 kph. Ajinkya Rahane tries to work it across with a flick, but the ball keeps drifting in and hits his bat, beating the inside edge.

Low full toss with an inward curve, Pandey heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

SIX! Straight as an arrow! Into the slot, full and on off. Manish Pandey springs out of the crease, gets under the ball and pumps it downtown for a big 86-meter six.

Off-pace short ball, on middle. Pandey pulls it off the back foot, a bit uppishly towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Runs away! Short of a length, angling on middle and leg. Manish Pandey swings hard across the line and hacks it off the inner half of the bat, but to the left of short fine leg for a boundary. This brings up 4000 IPL runs for Manish Pandey. He's been there for a long time and this is an incredible feat to achieve.

WIDE! Miles outside the off pole, a slower one at 110.4 kph, Manish first walks out of the crease and then opts to leave.

Touch full and around off. Manish comes forward and smashes it on the bounce to the bowler. Madhav Tiwari leaps and makes a half stop on the follow-through. The ball deflects to the leg side, but stays within the bowler's reach.

Cuts back in and around off, on a length. Pandey lets the ball arrive and dabs it to Ashutosh Sharma at backward point.

Hard length at 128.3 kph, outside off. Rahane square cuts it to the right of Kuldeep Yadav at deep point for an easy single.

WIDE! Loses his radar completely. Tries the slower bumper, but misfires it far down leg. Rahane leaves. Wide called.

Fairly outside off, off pace ball at just 113.5 kph, Manish Pandey crouches low and creams it to deep cover for a single.

Madhav Tiwari comes on to have a bowl now.

A bit flatter than the previous ball, on off, Ajinkya Rahane walks a step ahead and knocks the full ball straight to the cover fielder. KKR end their Powerplay with 55/1 on the board.

Floats it up, full and on middle and leg. Rahane clips it to mid-wicket.

Full, outside off, worked down to long off for a single.

Offers a lot more air on this one and turns it away from off, full in length. Pandey eases it out to cover.

SIX! Absolutely smoked! A slot ball from Patel, around off. Manish Pandey picks the length early, sits down on a knee and slogs it handsomely over long on for a biggie. Clean strike, right out of the middle. 50 UP FOR KKR!

Starts from around the stumps, does Axar. Lands it full and tosses it on off. Rahane drives it inside out to the left of long off for a single.

FOUR! Smashed down the ground! Fuller in length and outside off. Pandey gets under it and spanks it over the non-striker and picks up a boundary to the left of long on.

Another yorker is attempted, on off, Pandey clears the front leg and digs it out to mid on.

Slants the yorker in on middle. Manish Pandey drops the bat down and squeezes it on the bounce to the bowler. Ngidi leaps a bit on the follow-through and collects it over his head.

Back of a length, wide outside off. Pandey lets it be.

The next batter is Manish Pandey.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! You miss, I hit, says Ngidi. He splits the opening pair as the dangerous Allen falls. Bowls it in the channel of off, on a good length. It lands, skids and cuts back in slightly to hurry Allen into the shot. Finn stands tall and tries to heave it over mid on, but plays all over it and gets an inside edge. The ball makes an absolute mess of the stumps behind. Kolkata Knight Riders are 43/1, needing 161 runs.

On the money! Hits the hard length, angling into the batter's body. Finn Allen rides the bounce, plays on the up and punches it straight to the fielder at cover.

32 runs in the last 2 overs for KKR. They are up and about in the chase. Lungi Ngidi is into the attack now, replacing Mitchell Starc.

SIX AGAIN! Big over for KKR! Length again, on middle and leg, Ajinkya Rahane picks the length early and pulls it powerfully over deep square leg for another six.

SIX! Smashed over long on for half a dozen! Good length, on middle and leg, Ajinkya Rahane picks it well and launches it over long on for a biggie.

Hard length, on middle and leg, Finn Allen turns it through backward square leg for a single.

Length again, on off, Finn Allen pushes it to the left of the bowler.

FOUR! Times it in the gap! Good length, on middle and leg, Finn Allen waits for the ball and flicks it magnificently in the gap through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Auqib Nabi keeps it full, on off, Finn Allen drives it to the fielder at extra cover.

FOUR! Not where he intended! Mitchell Starc goes full, outside off, Ajinkya Rahane throws a kitchen sink at it. Gets a thick outside edge as the ball flies over backward point for a boundary on the bounce.

Halt in play. Rahane wants his bat exchanged as the current one has taken a really bad hit off the bottom. Couldn't have struck any worse. The reserve player is out with a couple of options. Rahane picks another one and is good to go.

Much fuller, on off, Ajinkya Rahane forces it off the bottom of his bat to the fielder at mid off.

Hard length, just outside off, Finn Allen taps it to the left of the keeper and scampers across for a single.

Much fuller, on off, Finn Allen eases it to the fielder at backward point.

FOUR! Neatly guided to the fence! Too full, just outside off, Finn Allen waits for the ball, opens the face of his bat, and guides it through short third for a boundary.

SIX! High and handsome! Mitchell Starc bowls a fuller one, on off, Finn Allen stays in his crease and lofts it effortlessly over long off for a biggie.

KKR need 193 runs in 108 balls. Mitchell Starc to continue. 1-0-5-0 so far.

Leading edge, safe! Nice and full, on off, Ajinkya Rahane looks to flick it but gets a leading edge. The ball flies over the point fielder and lands safely in the deep. The batters collect a couple of runs.

Beaten again! Good length, outside off, nipping in. Ajinkya Rahane tries to loft it but gets beaten on the inside edge.

Past the edge! Length ball, outside off, with a hint of away movement. Ajinkya Rahane swings hard but misses.

FOUR! Ajinkya Rahane takes the aerial route! A tad fuller, on off, Ajinkya Rahane picks it well and launches it over wide mid-wicket for a boundary on the bounce.

Good length, on off, Ajinkya Rahane blocks it to the left of the bowler.

Auqib Nabi starts with a length ball, on the leg side. Ajinkya Rahane looks to flick it but misses and wears it on his pads. An appeal, but nothing from the umpire. Axar Patel has a chat with Abishek Porel and Auqib Nabi and decides to send it upstairs. Ultra Edge shows no spike. Ball Tracking shows that the impact is umpire's call and it is just missing the leg stump. The on-field decision stands NOT OUT!

Decent start from Starc. Auqib Nabi to bowl from the opposite end.

Nice and full, on middle, Finn Allen digs it to mid on. A fine over from Mitchell Starc.

Oh! This one comes in. Too full, just outside off, swinging in. Finn Allen looks to play at it but the ball goes from under his blade and just misses the off pole. Abishek Porel appeals for a caught behind, but gets no support from the others. Dot.

FOUR! Finn Allen gets off the mark in style! Hard length, outside off, Finn Allen latches onto it and times it perfectly through mid off for a boundary. A forehand cross-court kind of a shot from Allen to open his account.

Ajinkya Rahane and KKR are underway. A tad fuller, outside off, Ajinkya Rahane pushes it to cover for a single.

A wide yorker this time, Ajinkya Rahane digs it to the fielder at mid off.

Beaten straightaway! Back of a length from Mitchell Starc, outside off, Ajinkya Rahane tries to slap it but misses.

DROPPED! Should have been taken, a second drop catch by the keeper, Tejasvi Singh and Delhi Capitals finish with 203/5 on the board. A yorker, angled across off. Ashutosh Sharma hangs deep and plays it late, opening the face of the blade as he looks to guide it between the keeper and short third but doesn't get the angle. Tejasvi dives to his right and spills a low chance as the batters manage to pick up a single.

Well bowled. Slower one, pitched up around off, the ball grips and moves further away. Tristan Stubbs swings and misses and the batters manage to sneak in a bye.

Tristan Stubbs to walk out next. Just two more balls left.

OUT! CAUGHT! A reprieve for Saurabh Dubey and KKR as David Miller fails to put away a bad ball. Another juicy full toss, just outside off. Miller looks to power it over mid off, but the bat tilts in his hand and he ends up snatching at it. Miller hits it flat to a straightish mid on, where Finn Allen gobbles it up around his face.

WIDE! Another one. Miller shuffles to the off side, Dubey attempts a slower one, but spills it well beyond the tramline yet again.

WIDE! Very full and sprayed well beyond the tramline outside off. 200 comes up for DC now.

SIX! In the slot, and that's bread and butter for David Miller. Overpitched delivery, wide outside off, Miller hangs back and extends the arms, launching it high and deep over long on for another biggie.

Much better from Dubey. A wide yorker, Miller looks to reach for it and hit it through the off side but toe-ends it to nowhere. It seems like Miller has chipped his blade a bit and is asking for a bat change.

SIX! High and handsome. A juicy full toss on off, David Miller hangs back and gets inside the line, swinging it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

SIX! A shot and a half from Ashutosh Sharma to end the over, 12 off it. Full and fast, wide outside off. Sharma hangs back, leans to the off side and powers it off the back foot over deep extra cover for a six.

Sharma needs to get bat on ball here. Another fast delivery, on a hard length and outside off. Sharma goes back and away to the off side to hit it through covers, but misses.

Trying to be a bit too cute here. Good length, hammered into the deck, over middle. Ashutosh Sharma goes for the reverse lap and fails to connect.

No ball! Oh, that's nearly cleaned up Ashutosh. However, Ajinkya Rahane has reviewed the No Ball call here. Coming to the ball, Ashutosh Sharma tries to shuffle past the off stump and Kartik Tyagi follows him with a high full toss, which Sharma sways his head away from. The third umpire checks Ball Tracker again and finds that the waist height is 1.049 meters and the ball is passing at 1.078 meters. No Ball stands and Free Hit to follow.

FOUR! How's Ashutosh Sharma managed to do that? A wide yorker, at brisk pace as well. Sharma reaches out to squeeze it away but the ball gets jammed into the deck off the back side of the bat and it goes over the keeper for a boundary.

A wide yorker, flirting with the tramline, and it is called a wide. Seemed just inside the tramline and KKR do review this one. The third umpire is called into action once again. The replays show that the ball is passing within the revised guideline and the on-field decision is changed.

Was that too high? Brisk pace from Tyagi, and he ends up bowling a waist-height full toss on leg. David Miller awkwardly hits it through mid-wicket for a single. DC do review because it is called a fair delivery. Initial replays suggest it is close to waist height. The graphics then show that Miller's waist height is 1.069 meters, and the ball is passing through at 0.836 meters, so it stays a fair delivery.

Who will bowl the penultimate over? Kartik Tyagi will bowl out.

FOUR! Smartly played. Slower bumper, dug in well short over off. Ashutosh Sharma reaches up over his head and ramps it over the keeper and the ball rolls into the third man fence.

This is excellent bowling from Dubey. He nails the yorker around the fifth stump line and all Miller can do is dig it out to long on for another single.

A full toss now, knee height and outside off. Ashutosh Sharma just caresses it away to deep point for one more.

Pace off, on a length and wide outside off. Miller walks past the off stump, looking to swing it leg side, but miscues it through mid on for a run.

Full and wide, hugging the tramline outside off. Miller reaches for it and laces the square drive but finds the fielder at point.

Pitched full and just outside off, slower too. Sharma looks to drive but gets an outside edge towards short third and picks up a single.

Flatter one on the pads, wokred away from inside the crease, through square leg and for a single.

A big, big wicket for KKR. Ashutosh Sharma is the new man at the crease.

OUT! CAUGHT! A pretty similar dismissal to that of KL Rahul, and Varun Chakaravarthy does get instant revenge on Axar Patel. Varun floats it a bit full and wide outside off, this time Patel looks to fetch and drag it leg side. He gets it off the toe end of the bat and straight to Rinku Singh at long on, who makes no mistake. DC are 166/4 now.

Nice and full, outside off, hammered away uppishly and wide of deep cover for a couple of handy runs by Axar.

WIDE! And again. A bit fuller, but this is well outside the line of off stump as well.

WIDE! A change in line, forced by the big hit and Varun ends up firing this one beyond the tramline outside off.

The ball is lost just behind the sightscreen. The groundsmen are searching for it. Meanwhile, the third umpire has opted to get a new used ball.

SIX! Fast hands from Axar Patel. Quicker one, on middle, Patel makes a bit of room and hits through the line, forcing the lofted shot straight down the ground. According to the on-air commentators, this is Axar's 100th six in the IPL. Also, it seems like the ball is lost under the sightscreen.

Fullish length, darted wide of the off stump. Patel fails to reach it and it's just inside the tramline.

SIX! The new bat seems to be working for Axar Patel. Tossed up on leg stump, Patel goes down on one knee and wallops the slog sweeps in front of square leg for a biggie. Axar just changed his bat between overs.

Much fuller, just outside off, Axar Patel drills it along the carpet to long off and gets an easy single.

Full and around off, David Miller slices this to deep point for a single.

On a good length, slanting it away from the left-hander. David Miller looks to spank it over cover, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

SIX! Smashed out of the park. Kartik looks to bowl a short one but this doesn't bounce much and sits well for the Protea finisher. David Miller creates a stable stance to free his arms and pulls this towards the deep mid-wicket region and well over the ropes. That's also Miller's 150th six in the IPL.

Full-length delivery, at the stump. Axar Patel punches it to deep mid-wicket and gets a single.

Back of a length, around off, David Miller slogs this towards the right of deep square leg for one.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Right then, 5 overs to go and Delhi Capitals would love to get 60 off it and breach the 200-run mark. Axar Patel is set and they have plenty of batting to come, but they will hope that David Miller finds his range soon. On the flip side, KKR have pulled things back a touch after a surge in the opposition's run rate in the middle overs and will be hoping to keep DC down to anything around 180-190 runs. Also, Kartik Tyagi is back on. He's conceded 33 runs in his 2 overs thus far. KKR also make an Impact Sub, bringing on Finn Allen in place of Sunil Narine.

Sunil Narine is substituted by Finn Allen

Flatter trajectory, fuller in length around middle. David Miller pushes it to long off and gets an easy single.

Fuller around middle and leg, Axar Patel sweeps this to deep square leg for a single.

On a length, around the leg stump. David Miller makes a bit of room and tries to sweep it, but gets beaten on the inside edge and hits his left thigh, before the ball rolls to short third. Leg bye taken.

Straight one, around off, Axar Patel smashes this down to long off for a single.

Chakaravarthy sees the batter making room, therefore he follow the batter, bowling down the leg side. Axar Patel cramps for room and tucks it to short fine leg.

Googly around middle and off, David Miller flicks this to the deep mid-wicket fielder for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy (2-0-14-0) returns to the attack.

FOUR! Green had a tidy over, but this last delivery spoiled it all. Good-length delivery, outside off. Axar Patel opens his stance and drills it through cover for four more runs.

Short-pitched delivery, around middle and off, David Miller pulls this towards the deep mid-wicket region for a single.

Full-length delivery, just outside off, David Miller punches it from the outer part of his bat to the point fielder.

Hard length, on top of off, Axar Patel loses his body shape as he looks to muscle this one. Axar slices this from the outer half of his bat towards sweeper cover for a run.

Pitches it up, does Green, pitching it around the leg stump and angling in. David Miller tucks it to deep square leg and gets a single.

LEG BYE! Back of a length, around the pads, Axar Patel looks to tuck this around mid-wicket but misses out and the ball clips his pads and deflects towards short third for a leg bye.

Cameron Green is back into the attack. He went for 14 in his first over.

Fuller, around the pads of the batter. Axar Patel swipes it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Fired onto the pads, David Miller flicks this through mid-wicket for one.

David Miller is in at number for DC.

OUT! CAUGHT! Roy gets the last laugh as he picks up the wicket of KL Rahul. Flighted, wide of off, KL Rahul goes down on a knee and looks to clear the long on fence. Rahul fails to get right underneath the ball and doesn't get enough power to clear the fence. Rahul hits this towards the right of Rovman Powell at long on. Rovman moves to his right and holds onto a regulation catch. KL Rahul departs after a fine knock.

FOUR! Short of a length, around off, width on offer, KL Rahul rises with the bounce and slaps this through the left of the fielder at extra cover for a boundary.

WIDE! Roy bowls this on the wrong side of the tramline on off. KL Rahul leaves it. Wided.

FOUR! Hammered away! Arm ball from Roy, angling in, toward the middle stump. KL Rahul reads the delivery like a book, as he opens his stance and pulls it hard into the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on for four runs.

WIDE! Fuller in length, pitching it around the tramline, outside off and turns it away from the batter. KL Rahul makes a leave and gets the bonus run.

Quicker one, on the pads, Axar Patel flicks this through backward square leg for a single.

Anukul Roy (1-0-10-0) is back on.

Pitches it up, a touch fuller, on off, Axar Patel goes deep into the crease and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a comfortable single.

Short of a length, around the pads, KL Rahul pulls this flat towards the deep mid-wicket fielder for a single.

Tap and run! Tossed up, fuller, on middle, Axar Patel plays it with soft hands toward cover and takes a quick single.

Fuller around off, Axar Patel drives this towards the right of Sunil for a dot.

Slower through the air from Narine as he sees the batter making room. He bowls it just outside off. Axar Patel extends his arms and slaps it to wide deep point for a couple of runs.

Sunil comes around the stumps and bowls it short of a length, on middle and leg. KL Rahul gets up on his toes and punches this down to long off for a single.

Sunil Narine to bowl out here.

FOUR! More runs for DC. Short of a length, outside off, Axar Patel stands tall, gets to the top of the bounce and spanks it between backward point and deep third man for four more runs. 20 runs coming from the over!

FOUR! Short and around the ribs of Axar. The DC skipper gets inside the line of the ball and hooks this away towards the left of the fielder at fine leg for a boundary.

FIFTY FOR RAHUL! Change of pace from Tyagi, asking the batter to hit at it. Rahul stays sharp and cuts it gently to deep cover-point and gets the single. He raises his bat and soaks in all the applause around the stadium. Also, Delhi Capitals bring up their 100.

SIX! MAJESTIC FROM RAHUL. Good length, around off, KL Rahul presses in front and towards the pitch of the ball. Rahul gets on top of the bounce and plays the lofted drive for a biggie over the fence towards deep extra cover region.

FOUR! CRACKED! Back of a length, just outside off. KL Rahul rocks back and cuts at it hard toward the right of the backward point fielder. Cameron Green sprints from the deep cover region, to his left and dives, but fails to make the stop.

On a length, around off, Axar Patel pushes this from the inner half of his bat towards mid off for a quick single.

Delhi Capitals are 88/2 after the first 10 overs of their innings. Also, Kartik Tyagi is back in, replacing Varun Chakaravarthy in the attack.

Shortish, outside off, Patel frees his arms and cuts it to deep point for a single.

Quicker one, turning back into the batter, on middle and leg. Axar Patel blocks this off his back foot.

Beaten! Another lovely off-break from Narine, just outside off. Axar Patel gets on his front foot to work it across the line, but misses on the outside edge.

Axar Patel walks out to bat next for DC.

OUT! CAUGHT! Off-break from the spin maestro, and this one grips a bit as well. Short of a length, around off, Sahil Parakh looks to hit this over the fielder at covers but he checks his lofted stroke and ends up chipping this straight into the hands of Ajinkya Rahane at covers. Rahane makes no mistake and takes a dolly to send Sahil back.

Short of a length, on middle, KL Rahul opens his stance and pulls it down to left of deep square leg for a single.

SIX! OUT OF THE PARK FROM RAHUL! Sunil Narine comes around the stumps and bowls it full and around off, KL Rahul clears his front foot and smashes this over the fence towards the long on region for a biggie.

Sunil Narine to continue...

Varun Chakaravarthy drags his length back once again, on off. KL Rahul tucks it from his back foot to wide long on and gets an easy single. 10 runs from the over!

Short of a length, around off, Sahil Parakh gets up on his toes, punches this off his back foot towards sweeper cover for a single.

FOUR! Oh, that's an exceptional shot from Parakh. Full-length delivery, on middle and off. Sahil Parakh brings out his reverse sweep and hits it well over the backward point region for another boundary.

Googly, going across the batter, Sahil Parakh slashes hard at it but connects only with thin air.

FOUR! Up and over! Floated and fuller, just outside the off pole. Sahil Parakh prods toward the delivery and lofts it, opening the face of the bat, over the leaping cover fielder. The ball dribbles toward the deep cover fence for four runs.

Quicker one, into the pitch and wide outside off, Sahil Parakh rocks back and looks to play the square cut but misses out.

STRATEGIC BREAK! A pretty even-stevens first 8 overs of the game, and surprisingly, Sunil Narine has been attacked by the DC batters. KKR will be disappointed that this is now a bit of a dead rubber, but will still like to finish with a win. Saurabh Dubey has been the pick of the bowlers so far, and they will hope that Varun Chakaravarthy comes good as well. Meanwhile, Rahul is really starting to get a move on now and if stays around for a few overs more, he can be lethal.

Half-hearted appeal for LBW, as Narine knows that the ball has pitched outside leg. A touch fuller around the pads of the batter. KL Rahul looks to sweep it but misses and gets pinged on the front pad, before the ball rolls to backward point.

Short of a length, around off, Sahil Parakh gets deep inside the crease and cuts this to deep point for a run.

Short, on middle, KL Rahul clips it to the right of deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Tossed up, around off, KL Rahul skips down the track again, gets right on top of the bounce and lofts this over the bowler for a boundary in front of the sight screen.

SIX! BANG! That has been smoked away. Narine tosses it up, fuller, around off. KL Rahul puts on his dancing shoes, skips down the track and launches it over the long on region for half a dozen. There is a fielder stationed in the region, but all he can do is watch the ball flying over him.

Tossed up, around off, Sahil Parakh stays leg side of the ball and cuts this through covers for a single.

Fullish and way outside off. Sahil Parakh punches it to deep cover-point and gets an easy single. Decent start from Varun Chakaravarthy, just four from it!

Seam up, straight one, short and wide of off. KL Rahul cuts this off his back foot towards deep point for a single.

A touch fuller, outside off. Sahil Parakh opens his stance and slaps it to deep cover to get a single.

Varun comes around the stumps and Sahil Parakh rocks back and cuts this towards the backward point fielder.

Short, on middle, KL Rahul tucks it to the leg side and gets a single.

Varun starts with a googly, into the batter. KL Rahul rocks back and blocks this out.

End of the Powerplay! Delhi Capitals have done pretty well, especially with the help of Abishek Porel's sturdy start. Saurabh Dubey is the only bowler who has put enough pressure on the opposition batters.Also, Varun Chakaravarthy comes into the attack now. It seems like he is playing with a hairline fracture on one of his toes.

FOUR! Enough power on it to clear the infield. Length ball on leg, Parakh backs away and shanks it over mid on for a boundary to end the Powerplay. 50 up for DC as well.

Dragged short on off, punched off the back foot, but straight to cover.

DROPPED! By Rinku Singh's standards, that is a simple catch. Floated up on the stumps, Sahil Parakh plays the reverse sweep and nails it, but he hits it a few inches above the ground. Rinku just moves low to his right and gets both hands on it, but the ball pops out.

SIX! That's a hefty blow from Sahil Parakh. Flighted up, too full, on middle and leg, Parakh clears the front leg and hammers it straight down the ground for a biggie.

Nagging length, angling across off, Parakh makes room to cut but jars at it and gets an outside edge towards short third.

Nicely flighted, fuller and on off. Rahul leans on, covers the line well and clips it down to long on for a single.

Excellent second over from Saurabh Dubey, a wicket and just three runs from it. Sunil Narine joins the attack now.

Back of a length, angled well across off, tapped away to the right of deep backward point for a single.

Just short! Slower one, full and around off. KL Rahul is early into the drive and ends up dragging it across to mid on, where the ball lands in front of Sunil Narine.

Back of a length and outside off, steered behind point for a single by Sahil Parakh.

First breakthrough for Kolkata Knight Riders. Sahil Parakh walks out next, replacing Abishek Porel.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! No mistake this time, from Tejasvi Singh and Abishek Porel has to walk back. Lovely piece of bowling from Saurabh Dubey, as he serves it a touch fuller and just outside off, making the ball shape away as well. Porel is drawn into the drive but ends up nicking it behind. Tejasvi lunges forward and pouches it nicely with both hands. The 40-run opening stand comes to an end.

Good carry again. At just 130.5 kph, bowled into the pitch and outside off. Porel hops up to slash it over point but is beaten by the extra bounce.

WIDE! Pitched up, wide outside off, landing it beyond the tramline outside off. Porel reaches for it and then decides to leave it alone.

Hard length, in and around off, angling in, Porel pushes it down the pitch.

Change of ends for Saurabh Dubey.

Sharp fielding in the deep. Shortish length on leg, hoicked off the hips, to the right of fine leg. Anukul Roy sprints across and cuts it off, keeping it down to a single.

On a good length, outside off, zips off the deck. Rahul steers it through backward point fo a run.

Alright then, we have the news that Rajasthan Royals have won the match in Wankhede against the Mumbai Indians by 30 runs. That means even if Kolkata wins here, it won't matter as the last spot of the playoff has been sealed by Rajasthan Royals.

A rare sight at Eden Gardens, as the batters run three. Full-pitched delivery outside off, driven between mid off and covers, not sweetly timed and it is cut off.

EDGED AND DROPPED! That should have been taken by Tejasvi Singh. Hard length, darted across off, Abishek Porel throws his bat at it and gets a thick outside edge. The ball flies to the left of the keeper, who spills it.

FOUR! Top shot! Just full of a good length, in and around off, Porel plays a lovely high-elbow off drive and nails it well to the left of mid off for another boundary.

EDGED AND FOUR! Express pace from Tyagi, around 148 kph and just angled across the left-hander. Abishek Porel is drawn into the drive but the ball flies off the outside edge and wide of fly slip, into the third man fence.

Green has an expensive start. Now comes Kartik Tyagi, replacing Saurabh Dubey.

Pitched full and straight, angled in. Rahul clips it to the right of the fielder at mid-wicket and picks up a couple of runs in the deep. DC are 26/0 after 3.

FOUR! That's sheer class from Rahul. Good-length delivery, around the top of off. Rahul hits through the line, nailing it over mid off for a boundary, and he holds the pose as well.

SIX! Picked up and dumped into the stands. Full and outside off, KL Rahul lunges across to get inside the line and hoicks it away handsomely over deep square leg for the first six of the contest.

Good length over off, just slants in a touch. Rahul hangs back and defends it to cover-point.

Green comes around the wicket to the left-hander, serves it full and angles it into the stumps. Porel drives it to mid on for a quick single.

Ooh, a bit of extra bounce straightaway for Green. Green bashes the hard length over middle, Rahul gets taken aback by the extra bounce and fends it off the gloves on the leg side, collecting a single.

A pretty good start from Saurabh Dubey. Cameron Green comes into the attack now and replaces the spinner, Anukul Roy.

Porel simply can't get away, just 2 runs off Saurabh Dubey's first over. Back of a length again, just outside off, Porel miscues the cut off the under edge and it goes to point.

Dubey is bowling in some good areas right now. Just back of a length, tight line around off, Porel rocks back and pats it down in front of point.

WIDE! Hard-length delivery, wide outside off, goes further away. Porel reaches for it and looks to cut, but misses.

Swing and a miss! Pitched a bit further up and outside off, the ball swings away as well. Abishek Porel comes down the track to go over covers but is well beaten.

On a good length again, in the corridor of uncertainty. Porel hangs back to square drive but gets an inside edge back onto the deck.

Drop and run! Good length, around the top of off, Rahul hops back and nudges it with soft hands into the off side, picking up a quick single.

Hit on the up but straight to the fielder. Hung outside off, full and enough room to free the arms. Rahul reaches out and drives it to the cover fielder.

Pace from the other end? Saurabh Dubey it is, with one slip in place.

Nicely bowled, but that's good running as well. Flighted, full and drifted into leg. KL Rahul makes room to cover drive but gets it off the inside half of the bat to mid on, pinching a quick single as well. 10 off the first over.

Bowled flatter and on off, punched away off the back foot and wide to the right of Cameron Green at mid off for a run.

FOUR! Uppish but in the gap. Flighted one outside off, Abishek Porel leans on and strokes it between mid off and extra cover for another boundary.

FOUR! This time, Porel puts it away and DC are up and running. Another short ball around leg, Porel goes deep in the crease and hacks it past square leg for a boundary.

Quick and short again, darted across off, Porel rocks back and jams it firmly to cover.

Swing and a miss! Dragged short to begin with, around leg. Abishek Porel swivels back to pull but misses and gets hit on the pads.

All set to get underway for this final group stage match here in Eden Gardens. Aaron Finch rings the bell, and with that, the two umpires stride toward the center of the park. The players of Knight Riders are taking their respective fielding positions. KL Rahul and Abishek Porel will be the openers for the Delhi Capitals. Anukul Roy will start the proceedings with the new ball. Porel to take the strike. Away we go...

What's happening in Wankhede?The penultimate league game of the 2026 IPL season is turning into a real humdinger. Mumbai Indians have bounced back and are currently 147/5 after 15 overs, needing 59 more off 30 balls, and if they do get there, Rajasthan Royals will be out of the tournament. Also, then KKR will have a chance to leapfrog Punjab Kings, who currently sit in P4, but KKR will have to chase down the target, even if it is in excess of 200 runs, in about 12-13 overs. We will bring you the latest equations as we go on.

Impact Player options for DC - Tripurana Vijay, Sameer Rizvi, Vipraj Nigam, Nitish Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI) - Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (WK), Sahil Parakh, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma (In for Tripurana Vijay), Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Nabi (In for Mukesh Kumar), Lungi Ngidi, and Mitchell Starc.

Impact Player options for KKR -  Sarthak Ranjan, Vaibhav Arora, Finn Allen, Ramandeep Singh, and Rahul Tripathi.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Ajinkya Rahane (C), Tejasvi Singh (WK) (In for Angkrish Raghuvanshi), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Saurabh Dubey.

The skipper of DC - Axar Patel says he was looking to bowl first as they have been a good chasing side, and the deck is also looking good to chase. Axar mentions that they have not played bad cricket, but they've been unlucky and they have just lost key moments throughout the league stage, and they'll need to look into it and learn before they move on. Axar adds that the small moments where they weren't at their best and the lack of execution of their plans is why they are already knocked out, but they'll learn. Axar informs that they have a couple of changes with Auqib Nabi and Kuldeep Yadav coming back in for Mukesh Kumar and Tripurana Vijay.

The captain of KKR - Ajinkya Rahane opts to bowl first and mentions that the main reason for that is that it is a chasing ground and they will also be aware of the equation they need to qualify depending on the other game that is going on, but they are feeling positive. He also says that they will play their game no matter what the circumstances are. On the team's performance, he says that he is really happy with the unit as they have made an exceptional comeback. Ends up saying that they will go with the same playing XI.

TOSS - It's toss time in Kolkata. Ajinkya Rahane and Axar Patel are out in the middle, and it will be Rahane to spin it. Axar calls it incorrectly, and Kolkata Knight Riders will BOWL first.

Let's now hear from DC's speedster - Mitchell Starc, on being a part of a champion squad of KKR a couple of years ago, says that he loved his time wearing purple, but he is all set to become a party spoiler tonight. On being asked about his performance, he says that he hasn't been the best in T20 cricket and also adds that he will take a break from this format of cricket. He reckons that he has been working on his rhythm lately. There are some positives to take from his recent performances, but he reckons there's a lot of work that needs to be done. On being asked whether they will be experimenting in today's match as they have nothing to lose, Starc laughs and says that he won't be experimenting personally, but also says that he will play some serious cricket tonight. They have won two in a row and the team wants to finish the season on a good note.

Let's now hear from KKR's Rovman Powell - Powell acknowledges that the Kolkata Knight Riders squad had been closely tracking recent tournament matches, including the fixture between Lucknow and Punjab, to strategize for their critical upcoming clash against Delhi. Reflecting on their journey, Powell admits that the team did not initially expect to have a qualification chance by their final league game. Rovman further informs that the players made a mid-season commitment to deliver high-quality cricket, playing for personal pride and their supportive fan base, regardless of the tournament standings.

PITCH REPORT - Former Aussie batter, Aaron Finch, is pitchside. He starts by saying that it is a huge game and mentions that they are just off center in terms of the pitch. Adds that the square boundaries are 61 meters and 68 meters on either side, with the straight hit being 74 meters. Finch's fellow Aussie and former Australian skipper, Michael Clarke, joins him and says that the wicket will be fairly consistent. Adds that there are a few dry areas, but those are near where the batters will stand, so it might be too full for the bowlers to exploit them, and it might be a long night for the bowlers once again.

Will we see a frantic finale? Two games on the last day of league action, and for now, three teams still remain in with a chance for that last playoff berth. Rajasthan are in pole position right now, as they have MI reeling at 67/4 after 8 overs in a chase of 205. No matter what the result at the Wankhede Stadium, we can expect a very high-octane contest at the Eden Gardens. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

Blowing hot and cold all season - Delhi Capitals have probably been the most inconsistent side in the last couple of seasons, and after always threatening to be in contention for a playoff berth, they just seem to lose too many games at the wrong time. They have a chance to finish their season on a high, and if they win, they can leapfrog KKR and finish 6th on the points table. DC are also coming off a couple of wins, which will give them enough confidence to try and play spoilsport of KKR.

A run to remember - After 5 losses and a washout in their first 6 games, KKR have somehow managed to win 6 of their next 7 games, and have emerged as a true contender for a playoff spot. Their batting seems to have found a purple patch, but the form of skipper Ajinkya Rahane will still be a worry. The spinners have shown their worth, and they will be praying that do get a shot to stay in the competition, but for that, their bitter rivals, Mumbai Indians will have to do them a big favour by beating Rajasthan Royals.

Final day madness - Hello, and a warm welcome to one and all. The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata is all set to host the final league stage match of the 2026 season, and it will be hosts Kolkata Knight Riders taking on Delhi Capitals, in what could be a decisive battle for that final playoff spot. However, in the first game of the day, Rajasthan Royals are bossing Mumbai Indians, and if the Royals win that game, then KKR's journey will come to an end. The Capitals, meanwhile, will be playing for pride and a chance to end on a high.

... MATCH DAY ...

Eden awaits - The IPL 2026 league stage comes to an end at the iconic Eden Gardens, and fittingly, the playoff race could go right down to the final game. Kolkata Knight Riders host Delhi Capitals in Match 70, with qualification scenarios hanging over almost every ball that could be bowled. But before this clash even begins, all eyes will briefly shift to the afternoon game between the Rajasthan Royals and the Mumbai Indians. If Rajasthan win, the fourth playoff spot is theirs. If they lose, the door opens for KKR, though even then, it depends on Punjab Kings slipping up as well. Should Punjab win, Kolkata would not only need victory, but potentially a big one to overturn the NRR gap. Delhi Capitals still mathematically remain alive too, but only if both RR and PBKS lose, and even then, they would need a massive win themselves. In short, chaos, calculators and pressure. The perfect ingredients for a final league game at Eden Gardens. KKR's stunning turnaround - Few teams have scripted a comeback quite like Kolkata Knight Riders this season. After failing to win any of their first six games, they have bounced back remarkably, winning six of their next seven to drag themselves right back into playoff contention. Ajinkya Rahane may not have piled up the runs himself, but his calm leadership and backing of players through tough phases have transformed the mood around the side. Even if they fall short, KKR can take immense pride in the way they have responded after a disastrous first half of the season and multiple injury setbacks that prevented them from fielding their ideal XI. Spin twins and pace firepower - The biggest reason behind Kolkata's resurgence has undoubtedly been their bowling attack. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy have once again become the dreaded 'spin twins', suffocating oppositions through the middle overs. Together, they have claimed 25 wickets while operating at outstanding economy rates of 6.40 and 8.78, respectively, with Anukul Roy also playing a valuable supporting role. A lot of credit goes to Varun, who has continued playing despite a toe fracture, pushing through pain for the franchise in this crucial stretch. Then there is Kartik Tyagi, who has been nothing short of sensational. Consistently clocking speeds around 150 kph, attacking batters with hostile bouncers and raw pace, he already has 18 wickets this season. Vaibhav Arora did pick up wickets but often leaked runs, and the addition of Saurabh Dubey has brought much-needed balance, especially with his ability to operate both with the new ball and at the death. Batting clicking at the right time - KKR's opening combination has remained slightly unsettled, but Finn Allen's explosiveness has given them a huge edge. The New Zealander is striking at a jaw-dropping 219.33 and had smashed an unbeaten century against Delhi earlier this season. There has, however, been a setback. Their leading run-scorer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, has been ruled out after suffering an injury in the last game. But Manish Pandey stepped into the number three role brilliantly, rolling back the years with a match-winning knock. Rinku Singh rediscovering his touch has perhaps been the biggest boost of all. He averages 73.75 this season and remarkably has not been dismissed even once in his last five innings. Cameron Green, too, has finally started repaying the faith shown in him, scoring 320 runs in 13 games while also contributing with important wickets. Rovman Powell's finishing power and athleticism in the field have quietly added value, while if KKR do make the playoffs, youngster Tejasvi Singh is expected to take over wicketkeeping duties and add even more firepower. Delhi's season of ‘What Ifs’ - Delhi Capitals' season has been one filled with frustration and missed moments. They started brightly with consecutive wins, but after that costly miscalculation involving David Miller against the Gujarat Titans, momentum slowly slipped away and never truly returned. KL Rahul has been the standout performer with 533 runs, but Delhi never managed to settle on a consistent opening combination alongside him. Pathum Nissanka showed glimpses with a couple of good knocks, while Abishek Porel grabbed his chance with a half-century in the previous game, but constant chopping and changing prevented stability. Tristan Stubbs and Sameer Rizvi faded after promising starts, while Miller repeatedly found himself benched despite winning games, which raised several eyebrows. Nitish Rana has blown hot and cold too, and with only Ashutosh Sharma striking above 180 consistently, Delhi perhaps lacked the firepower modern T20 cricket demands. Pace boost arrives late - One of Delhi's biggest setbacks early in the season was Mitchell Starc’s absence. Since returning, though, the Australian has reminded everyone of his quality, taking 9 wickets in just 5 games, including a devastating four-wicket haul against the Rajasthan Royals. Axar Patel hasn't enjoyed the best campaign with the bat apart from his match-winning knock in the previous game, but he has still contributed 10 wickets alongside Lungi Ngidi. Kuldeep Yadav, however, has endured a difficult season, while both T Natarajan and Mukesh Kumar have struggled for consistency. A positive for the Capitals has been Madhav Tiwari, whose all-round contributions in recent games have given them some much-needed energy and balance. And with former KKR stars Starc, Kuldeep and Nitish Rana in their ranks, Delhi would love nothing more than spoiling the party at Eden Gardens if the opportunity arises. Conditions on offer - Eden Gardens has largely remained a strong batting venue this season, where even scores beyond 200 haven't always felt safe enough. The last game here did produce a slightly tricky surface, offering assistance to the bowlers at times, but with the shorter boundaries and fast outfield, another high-scoring contest could still be on the cards. There was also a bit of weather around in the previous game, though thankfully, we still got a full match in, and both teams will be hoping the rain stays away long enough once again for the season finale to play out uninterrupted. Team form (Last 5 completed matches, most recent first) - KKR - WWLWW | DC - WWLLW. One final twist? Historically, KKR hold the advantage with a 20-15 head-to-head lead, including a dominant victory earlier this season. But finals days at Eden Gardens are rarely straightforward. If qualification scenarios are still alive by the toss, expect an electric atmosphere with every run and wicket potentially shifting the playoff picture. And if results elsewhere knock both sides out before the game begins, then perhaps the pressure disappears, and freedom takes over, which could make things even more entertaining. One final league game. One iconic venue. And maybe one last twist before the playoffs begin.