Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel has offered his support to David Miller following a tense final ball conclusion against the Gujarat Titans. Despite the narrow defeat, Axar encouraged his squad to maintain a positive outlook and look toward their upcoming fixtures in the IPL 2026 season.
Tactical Support and Team Morale
In a video shared by the Delhi Capitals on Thursday, the skipper was seen addressing the team in the locker room. He specifically defended Miller’s late game decisions, noting that the batsman’s aggressive performance was the primary reason the team remained competitive until the final delivery.
During the session, Axar emphasized the importance of emotional stability throughout the lengthy tournament. He stated:
“At the start of this season, I told you (all) to control emotions and stay calm in any situation. We are all sad, feeling sad, but we can still smile, it’s okay. All are, you know, sad, feeling sad. We can still smile, it’s okay. It is a long tournament.”
Match Recap and Performance Highlights
The contest at Arun Jaitley Stadium saw Delhi Capitals fall short by just a single run. While Miller’s unbeaten 41 from 20 balls provided late fireworks, the foundation of the chase was built by KL Rahul, who scored a brilliant 92 runs off 52 deliveries. DC ultimately finished their innings at 209/8 while pursuing a target of 211.
Regarding Miller’s contribution and the road ahead, Axar added:
“If he (Miller) didn’t hit those sixes, then you know that we would not have been in the game. We’ll go [to] Chennai and start again. Keep smiling.”
Current Standings and Future Outlook
Despite the loss to Gujarat, the Delhi Capitals maintain a strong position in the tournament. They currently sit in fourth place on the points table, having secured four points and a net run rate of +0.811 from three matches. Their season began with consecutive six wicket victories over the Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians.
The team is now shifting focus to their next significant challenge, a match against Chennai Super Kings scheduled for Saturday.
