The concluding league phase of IPL 2026 treated fans to a highly dramatic, viral moment during clash between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens.
While Delhi Capitals successfully signed off their campaign with a comprehensive 40-run victory, the defining talking point of the second innings was a rare, high-tension moment that left star spinner Kuldeep Yadav visibly furious on the pitch after an error by his own teammate cost him an elusive IPL hat-trick.
Also Read | Rajat Patidar To Captain India In T20Is? RCB Star Endorsed Over Shreyas Iyer
Chasing a challenging target of 204 runs set by DC, KKR’s chase was initially anchored by an aggressive half-century from skipper Ajinkya Rahane. However, the game completely flipped on its head during Kuldeep Yadav’s masterful 14th over.
Ball 1 (The Breakthrough): Kuldeep broke KKR’s backbone by snaring the dangerous, well-set Rahane (63 off 39 balls), who was caught in the deep by David Miller.
Ball 2 (The Golden Duck): On the very next delivery, the left-arm wrist spinner bamboozled KKR’s premier finisher, Rinku Singh, trapping him with a tactical delivery that was quickly caught by Tristan Stubbs, sending him back for a golden duck.
Dropped Catch and Outburst
With Eden Gardens crowd on its feet anticipating a monumental feat, Kuldeep bowled a beautifully flighted, teasing delivery to incoming batsman Tejasvi Dahiya for his hat-trick ball. The strategy worked flawlessly. Dahiya lunged forward, completely deceived by the variation, and feathered a clear outside edge. The ball flew directly into the gloves of DC’s young wicketkeeper, Abishek Porel.
However, in a crushing turn of events, Porel failed to secure the relatively straightforward catch, letting the ball spill onto the turf. Realizing that a permanent spot in the IPL history books had just slipped away due to a fielding lapse, Kuldeep lost his composure, shouting in intense frustration and glaring at his young keeper in a sequence that instantly went viral across social media.
WATCH VIDEO
The hat-trick was right there! 🤏🥺
So close yet so far for Kuldeep Yadav 🫣
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/Uo07zwiknq#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #KKRvDC | @imkuldeep18 pic.twitter.com/pJ9wOsEIb4
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 24, 2026
Player of the Match Despite Heartbreak
Despite the missed milestone, Kuldeep completely dictated the terms of the second innings, finishing with phenomenal match-winning figures of 3/29 across his four overs. Assisted by a sharp opening burst from Lungi Ngidi (3/27) and Mitchell Starc (2/26), DC successfully dismantled KKR for 163.
During the post-match presentation, where he was awarded the Player of the Match trophy, a much calmer Kuldeep laughed off the viral frustration, showing maturity: “On the dropped catch off the hat-trick ball, these things happen in cricket. I was clear with my tactical plans tonight, reading that the surface was holding a bit slow in the first innings. I’m just incredibly pleased with the way I bowled overall and happy to finish our campaign on a winning high.”
