England’s Jos Buttler struck form with a fluent 52 to help Gujarat Titans to their first win of the 2026 IPL as they beat Delhi Capitals in a last-ball thriller Wednesday with David Miller falling just short of guiding his new side home.
The South African looked set to take Delhi over the line but elected to turn down a single on the second last ball with his side needing two to win.
Bowler Prasidh Krishna then outfoxed Miller with a slow delivery with the last ball of the match which the batter missed with a big swing as wicketkeeper Buttler hit the stumps to run out Kuldeep Yadav, who was desperately scrambling for the single that would have forced a super over.
Earlier, Buttler raised his first T20 half-century after a dismal run, which included a disappointing T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
His knock laid the foundations for Gujarat’s 210-4 and in reply Delhi finished on 209-8 in 20 overs despite an explosive 41 not out by Miller and KL Rahul’s 92.
Gujarat won by one run to bounce back from two defeats. Delhi suffered their first loss after two wins.
Buttler found his groove with a fourth-ball six off Mukesh Kumar and there was no looking back as he smacked four more hits over the fence in his 27-ball knock.
Buttler, 35, told AFP at the start of the T20 tournament that “he still has the hunger for runs” and still has the energy and motivation to play at the highest level.
But his knock for Gujarat seemed to have inspired the team’s batting as skipper Shubman Gill also struck form with a 70 after he missed the previous game. Gill was involved in a 60-run stand with Buttler and then put on 104 runs with Washington Sundar, who scored 55 for his first IPL fifty. Delhi started their reply strongly courtesy of Pathum Nissanka, who made 41, and Rahul as the pair put on 76 runs for the opening wicket but the chase wobbled as wickets fell. Nissanka missed out on a fifty and leg-spinner Rashid Khan struck twice on successive balls in the 10th over.
BRIEF SCORES
Gujarat Titans 210 for 4 (Gill 70, Washington 55, Buttler 52, Mukesh 2-55) beat Delhi Capitals 209 for 8 (Rahul 92, Miller 41*, Nissanka 41, Rashid 3-17) by one run
