Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel was forced to retire hurt due to cramps, with Krunal Pandya’s gesture towards him earning widespread appreciation in IPL 2026 action.
Published: April 19, 2026 1:23 AM IST
IPL 2026: Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel was retired hurt during their IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The DC skipper looked in a good touch with the bat during the chase of 173, but he was retired hurt due to cramps. David Miller then walked in to join Tristan Stubbs at a crucial stage of the chase.
Axar appeared visibly uncomfortable while batting at 25, he received treatment from the physio on multiple occasions before leaving the field. In obvious pain, the star all-rounder had to be helped off by opposition player Krunal Pandya and Ashutosh Sharma to leave the ground.
What caught fans attention was the moment Krunal Pandya helped Axar Patel walk off the field after the DC skipper suffered cramps, in a gesture that reflected true sportsmanship. Krunal’s act drew praise on social media, with many fans applauding the spirit of the game rising above team rivalries.
The act of sportsmanship could also work in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s favour when it comes to fair play points.
Krunal Pandya’s sportsmanship wins hearts online, see pics here…
Awwww. How nice of Krunal Pandya to give a shoulder to the Injured Axar Patel 😌 pic.twitter.com/UqNFKscBQP
— Jonah Abraham 😷 (@JonahAbraham26) April 18, 2026
AXAR PATEL FORCED OFF WITH CRAMP 😬
Axar Patel walks off the field after struggling with cramps, accompanied by Ashutosh and the physio.
Krunal Pandya lends a helping hand as play pauses again.
Despite the discomfort, Axar leaves with a smile 💛 pic.twitter.com/Pn7Bu3F42t— Puneet Awasthi (@PuneetA77622712) April 18, 2026
Axar Patel is Retired Hurt
Krunal Pandya❤️👏🫂 pic.twitter.com/Ku9v90IFdk— cricmawa (@cricmawa) April 18, 2026
Coming to the match, David Miller provided late resistance with two sixes in the final over, after KL Rahul anchored the chase with a classy 57 and Tristan Stubbs chipped in with a fluent 60. In the end, Delhi Capitals held their nerve to pull off a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a tense IPL clash in Bengaluru.
Delhi Capitals climbs to the fourth spot on IPL 2026 points table
With this win, Delhi Capitals climbs to the fourth spot on the points table with three victories and two defeats, taking their tally to six points. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru stayed in second place with four wins from six matches, collecting eight points.
Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to make a solid comeback in their next IPL 2026 match against Gujarat Titans on April 24 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Axar Patel-led Delhi Capitals will be keen to extend their winning momentum against in their next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 21 at the Uppal Stadium.
