DC skipper Axar Patel expressed pride in his team's fighting spirit despite an inconsistent season after their 40-run win over KKR. He reflected on the team's character and his learnings as captain in their final IPL 2026 league match.
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel said he was proud of his team's fighting spirit despite an inconsistent season, following their 40-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their final league-stage match of the IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens on Sunday night.
Axar on DC's campaign
Reflecting on the team's recent performances during the post-match presentation, Axar praised the character shown in the closing stages of the campaign. "I would say that in the last three matches, the way we played, even when you know things are not going well, the way the team fought after that, I am very proud. No one thought that we would just give up and think we are already out. Things were not going well, but still, the effort in the last matches, I am very proud of that.
On the positives and takeaways from the season, Axar added, "Firstly, you have to accept your mistakes. After that, you realise what you need to do better." He further highlighted the importance of learning from small margins and key moments that defined their campaign. "That is the positive you have to take forward. If you talk about one match, if just one match had gone differently, things could have been very different. I think the last time we played good cricket, it was just about one match. If that one match had gone our way, we would have been talking differently. As we spoke about at the toss, moments like catches were very important," Axar added.
Learnings as captain
The DC skipper also reflected on his development as a leader during challenging phases of the season. "If that had happened, today we would have been in a different position. (on what he has learned about himself as captain during difficult phases) I have learned that, obviously, the IPL is a tournament where you have to take care of everyone. But at the end, if you are in a good frame of mind, then only you can handle everything properly," the DC skipper said.
He stressed the importance of maintaining composure while leading a team in high-pressure situations. "If you are not in a good frame of mind, then you can take wrong decisions or get frustrated and do something else. I think it is very important to stay calm. If I feel that things are not going well or I am getting frustrated, I give myself time and first relax my own mind. Because I will be able to relax other people only if I am in a good frame of mind."
Axar backs SRH as strongest qualifier
On the strongest team among the Qualifiers, the DC skipper backed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). "I think SRH are looking very strong. When their top three score runs, that team becomes very difficult to stop. So I think SRH," Axar concluded.
DC vs KKR match summary
Delhi Capitals finished their season with a commanding win over Kolkata Knight Riders, ending their campaign on a positive note despite missing out on a higher finish. Delhi defeated KKR by 40 runs in a high-scoring clash after they successfully defended 204 in their final league-stage match.
Batting first, the visitors posted 203/5, powered by a quickfire 60 from KL Rahul, 39 from skipper Axar Patel, and a late surge from David Miller and Ashutosh Sharma. KKR's bowlers shared the wickets but struggled to contain the scoring in the death overs.
In reply, KKR began steadily with Finn Allen and Ajinkya Rahane putting on 43 runs, while Rahane and Manish Pandey kept the momentum going through the power play. However, the innings shifted after Kuldeep Yadav's double strike removed Rahane and Rinku Singh, followed by Axar Patel's wicket of Tejasvi Dahiya. Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi then cleaned up the lower order as KKR were bowled out for 163 in 18.4 overs, sealing a comprehensive win for DC and ending their campaign on a positive note. (ANI)
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