Delhi Capitals spinner Kuldeep Yadav came very close to claiming a memorable hat-trick during Match 70 of IPL 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Sunday. The dramatic moment happened in the 14th over of KKR’s chase when wicketkeeper Abishek Porel dropped a simple catch behind the stumps. The missed chance left Kuldeep visibly frustrated as he was denied a third wicket in three balls in what turned out to be a match-winning spell for the spinner.
Despite the missed opportunity, Delhi Capitals ended their season on a positive note with a convincing 40-run victory over KKR. The result, however, had no impact on the playoff race as both teams were already out of contention before the game began. Delhi posted a massive total of 203/5 after strong contributions from KL Rahul, Axar Patel, David Miller, and Ashutosh Sharma. In reply, KKR lost wickets regularly and failed to recover after a promising start, ending their campaign with another disappointing defeat.
Kuldeep Shines Despite Missed Hat-Trick Chance at Eden Gardens
The big moment came after Kuldeep Yadav dismissed KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane and vice-captain Rinku Singh on back-to-back deliveries in the 14th over. Young batter Tejavasi Dahiya then walked in to face the hat-trick ball. Kuldeep produced another sharp delivery that found a faint edge, but wicketkeeper Abishek Porel failed to hold onto the regulation catch. The missed chance shocked the Delhi players, especially skipper Axar Patel, who was standing at first slip and immediately reacted in disappointment.
Earlier in the evening, Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first, but Delhi’s batting unit made the decision look costly. KL Rahul played a quick knock of 60 runs, while Axar added an important 39 off 25 balls. David Miller and Ashutosh Sharma also chipped in with useful late runs that pushed DC past the 200-run mark. Saurabh Dubey was the standout bowler for KKR with figures of 2/28.
KKR started aggressively in the chase through Rahane and Finn Allen, but Lungi Ngidi removed Allen with an excellent delivery. Manish Pandey looked fluent during his 25-run cameo before falling to Kuldeep. Cameron Green also failed to make an impact as Kuldeep tightened his grip on the game with crucial middle-order wickets.
Kuldeep finished as Delhi’s best bowler on the night, while Ngidi claimed three wickets. Mitchell Starc also picked up two important scalps as Delhi wrapped up the match comfortably. The IPL 2026 playoffs will now begin on May 26 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at Dharamshala.
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