Axar Patel fumes after DC defeat; Karun Nair earns “next Shashank Singh” tag

Delhi Capitals endured a stunning collapse in the field as Punjab Kings chased down 264—registering the highest successful run chase in Indian Premier League history on April 25.

The game turned in the 15th over when Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer miscued a lofted shot. Positioned at long-off, Karun Nair spilled a straightforward catch, handing Iyer a lifeline at a crucial stage. Punjab needed just over 60 runs at that point, and the miss proved costly as they completed the chase in 18.5 overs.

After the match, captain Axar Patel did not hold back, pointing to repeated fielding errors as the key reason behind the defeat. He also criticised the bowlers’ lack of impact in the powerplay, saying a total of 264 should have been enough on such a surface.

Earlier, KL Rahul had powered Delhi to a commanding total with a blistering unbeaten 152 off 67 balls. His innings was aided by a dropped catch from Shashank Singh—one of several fielding lapses that defined the contest. The repeated errors sparked a wave of reactions online, with fans jokingly calling Karun Nair the “new Shashank Singh” as memes flooded social media.

Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal played down the dropped chances, calling them part of the game.

The defeat leaves Delhi stuck in a tight mid-table race, while Punjab continue their impressive run, strengthening their position near the top of the standings.