Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s last-ball, two-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on May 10 has tightened the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs and left Delhi Capitals with a razor-thin margin for error. RCB moved to the top of the table with 14 points and a net run rate of +1.103, level on points with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans, while Punjab Kings slipped to fourth with 13 despite a game in hand.
The result officially ended Mumbai Indians’ mathematical hopes of reaching the playoffs, making them the second team eliminated after Lucknow Super Giants. For Delhi Capitals, however, the stakes are higher: Axar Patel’s side have just eight points from 11 matches and carry the poorest net run rate among teams still in contention at −1.154, a position made worse by a heavy defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders on May 8.
With the top three teams pulling away and Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals both still alive on 12 points, Delhi’s path to the knockout stage has become highly complicated. To remain in contention, DC must win all three of their remaining league games and rely on several other results going their way. Even reaching 14 points may not be enough because their negative net run rate means they will likely need emphatic wins to improve it substantially.
RCB’s win in Raipur was driven by Krunal Pandya’s 73 off 46 balls and a decisive 4/23 from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a performance that has intensified the fight for the final playoff slots and increased pressure on teams like Punjab Kings vying for a top-two finish.
Every match is effectively a knockout for Delhi from here. Their remaining fixtures are against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on May 11, Rajasthan Royals in Delhi on May 17, and Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on May 24. Another defeat-or even a narrow victory that fails to boost their net run rate-could end their IPL 2026 campaign.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/sport/story/delhi-capitals-on-brink-can-axar-patels-side-still-pull-off-an-ipl-playoff-miracle-1390266-2026-05-11?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-05-11 17:56:00
