Dale Steyn David Miller. Image Credits: AFP/DC
Delhi Capitals lost a dramatic thriller to the Gujarat Titans in the 14th fixture of the IPL 2026 season, and David Miller, despite playing a brilliant knock, faced criticism for a lapse in judgment on the penultimate delivery.
From a losing position, Miller hammered 41* off just 20 balls and nearly guided DC to an unthinkable finish. However, the last couple of deliveries from Prasidh Krishna completely changed the game, and Miller’s one decision caught critics’ attention.
David Miller slammed for denying a single to Kuldeep Yadav
On the penultimate delivery, a single was on offer, one that would have levelled the scores and taken the match into a Super Over.
At the non-striker’s end, Kuldeep Yadav signalled his readiness, urging David Miller to trust him. But the South African chose to decline the run, backing himself to finish the game with a boundary.
That decision, according to former South Africa cricketer Dale Steyn, was the turning point. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Steyn said that in high-pressure situations, players must prioritise percentage cricket over instinct.
While he felt Miller’s confidence was high after striking a towering six earlier in the over, Steyn also said that experience should have dictated a safer approach.
"You are reading Kuldeep's body language there, where he is telling Miller, 'Trust me, I've got this.' And you see that as he's hit it, he's taken off for the run, but then decided against it. He was backing himself. He just hit a 106-metre six, so he's in the zone. He was feeling it. But Miller's too good a player not to take a single,” Steyn said.
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Steyn believes Miller took unnecessary risk
For Dale Steyn, the logic was that securing the single would have guaranteed a tie and shifted the contest into a Super Over, where Delhi could regroup and rely on their stronger finishers.
By refusing it, David Miller opted for a high-risk finish instead of a controlled path to extend the game.
“You take what's given to you, it's a draw or a tie, and then you back your tail end there in terms of Kuldeep to get that single. Or even if he misses it, that you're quick enough and smart enough to run and get that bye, which in the case of Kuldeep, he wasn't able to do. Maybe just a slight hesitation, believing that Miller's the kind of player that can hit the ball off the ground. And errors that will cost them massively," he added.
David Miller’s single mishap cost DC big time
After refusing the single on the penultimate delivery, David Miller had to score 2 runs off the final ball. However, he missed a slower ball, and the desperate attempt to get a single run resulted in a simple run out.
With that, the Gujarat Titans sealed a dramatic 1-run victory while Miller and the Delhi Capitals were shattered to the core. The Protea was left devastated as he sat quietly in the dressing room, trying to process his emotions.
That marked Delhi’s first loss of the IPL 2026 season. They will next meet CSK on April 11 at the Chepauk Stadium.
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