In their first game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for IPL 2025, the Delhi Capitals saw their winning streak come to a halt against the Mumbai Indians. After kicking off the season with three straight victories, they faced a tough 12-run loss on Sunday evening, marked by a dramatic ending where they suffered a hat-trick of run outs in the last over of their chase.
During the match, things took a turn when DC found themselves slow in finishing their 20 overs, which led to their captain, Axar Patel, being fined Rs 12 lakh. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement later that night confirming the punishment. They mentioned that since this was Patel’s team’s first offense of the season regarding overs, the penalty was applicable under the IPL Code of Conduct.
On the field, Axar didn’t have the best game. He bowled two overs without taking a wicket, letting the opposition score 19 runs, while the Indians racked up a total of 205/5 after DC chose to bowl first. When it was time for Delhi to bat, Axar started off with energy, hitting two boundaries. Sadly, he was eventually out, caught by Jasprit Bumrah, scoring just 9 runs off 6 balls before the team was bowled out for 193 in 19 overs.
After the game, Axar reflected on the loss, saying, “We had the game in our hands. I think we lost it due to some soft dismissals in the middle order and a few bad shots. Losing by 12 runs with an over to spare means we could have won if we’d played better. You can’t expect the lower order to always bail you out in these situations. He also mentioned, “Some days just don’t go your way and you end up playing silly shots. But I believe 205 was a fair target as the pitch was good and the dew made batting easier.”
Looking ahead, the Delhi Capitals are set to play against the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, hoping to bounce back and reclaim their spot in the competition.