Axar Patel fined Rs 12 Lakh as Delhi Capitals beat Punjab Kings in IPL 2026 thriller

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel has been fined Rs 12 lakh after his team maintained a slow over rate during their thrilling IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) confirmed the penalty in an official statement, noting that this was Delhi Capitals’ first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which deals with minimum over-rate violations.

“As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Axar Patel was fined INR 12 lakhs,” the IPL said.

Despite the disciplinary setback, it was a memorable night for Delhi Capitals as they kept their playoff hopes alive with a dramatic three-wicket win while chasing a massive target of 211 runs.

Punjab Kings had earlier posted 210/5, powered by a strong half-century from Priyansh Arya (56) and a solid unbeaten 59 from captain Shreyas Iyer. Cooper Connolly also contributed with a useful 38-run knock.

Delhi’s chase got off to a poor start as they slipped to 74/4 and appeared to be in deep trouble. However, captain Axar Patel anchored the innings with a crucial 56-run knock, while David Miller added an important 51 to revive the chase.

Youngsters Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari then finished the job calmly, guiding Delhi Capitals to 216/7 in 19 overs.

Madhav Tiwari also impressed with the ball, picking up two wickets, while Mitchell Starc added two more to restrict Punjab Kings’ momentum in key phases.

The win boosted Delhi Capitals’ confidence ahead of their next fixture against Rajasthan Royals, although they still remain placed seventh on the IPL points table.