England’s Jos Buttler found his rhythm, scoring a fluent 52 runs to lead Gujarat Titans to their first victory in the 2026 IPL against Delhi Capitals in a nail-biting finish on Wednesday. David Miller fell short of steering Delhi to a win as he declined a crucial single on the penultimate ball, leaving his team needing two runs to win.
In the final delivery of the match, bowler Prasidh Krishna deceived Miller with a slow ball, resulting in a missed swing by the batter, and wicketkeeper Buttler executed a run-out to dismiss Kuldeep Yadav, preventing Delhi from forcing a super over.
Buttler, who had struggled for form recently, especially during the T20 World Cup, where he underperformed, broke the spell by scoring his first T20 half-century. His innings set the stage for Gujarat’s total of 210-4. In response, Delhi managed 209-8 in 20 overs, with Miller contributing an explosive 41 not out and KL Rahul scoring 92.
Despite Miller’s late heroics, Gujarat clinched victory by just one run, bouncing back from two previous defeats, while Delhi suffered their first loss after two wins.
Buttler’s knock included five sixes, with a crucial six off Mukesh Kumar setting the tone for his aggressive innings. The 35-year-old expressed his hunger for runs and determination to perform at the highest level. His partnership with skipper Shubman Gill, who also found form with a score of 70, and Washington Sundar, who hit his first IPL fifty with 55 runs, boosted Gujarat’s innings.
Delhi’s chase started strongly with Pathum Nissanka and Rahul putting on 76 runs for the opening wicket. However, the team faltered as wickets tumbled, including Rashid Khan’s quick double strike in the 10th over. Despite Miller’s late charge, Delhi fell short as Gujarat successfully defended 13 runs in the final over, with Kuldeep getting run out on the last ball.
