Delhi Capitals have lost 4 of their last 5 in IPL 2026 — Is this the worst collapse in DC's history?

Delhi Capitals (DC), who started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a blast thanks to two successive victories, have struggled to get going in the middle half of the event. DC is currently in eighth position in the table with only four wins in 11 clashes at a net run rate of -1.154, having lost four of their last five games. 

More specifically, the runners-up from the 2020 edition of the competition have collected only two wins in the last nine encounters. This is a shocking result for a side that came into the tournament with a balanced playing XI and lost promise in both the batting and bowling departments.

From playoff contenders to freefall- Delhi Capitals lose 4 of last 5 to put their IPL 2026 campaign on the brink 

The Axar Patel-led side started their campaign with a fantastic six-wicket victory against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium before scripting another victory over the Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley. But that one-run defeat in the last over against the Gujarat Titans seemed to have broken them mentally. 

After another defeat against the Chennai Super Kings away from home, the Capitals turned the tables with a superb win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). But they failed to use the momentum and experienced three successive defeats, including the home clash where they were bundled out for just 75 runs.

After a win against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, they again lost two home clashes against the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Super Kings. Another defeat in Dharamsala against the Punjab Kings will put the curtains down on their slim hope of qualifying for the playoffs.  

No wins, no plan, no answers- How Delhi Capitals' middle-order collapse is driving the worst run of their season 

One of the biggest reasons for the Capitals’ struggle is their middle order’s (4-6) batting. They have accumulated 620 runs in 11 innings of the IPL 2026 at an average of just 29.52 at a strike rate of 134.20. This is the fourth-lowest contribution from the middle order of the franchise in this season.

See Also: KL Rahul needs 27 runs to win IPL 2026 Orange Cap- PBKS vs DC in Dharamsala is his best chance

Their captain’s form isn’t strong either in this campaign. Axar has bagged only 44 runs in eight innings at an average of 6.28 and a strike rate of 74.57. This is his worst season with the bat after 2021, when he gathered only 40 runs in six innings.

Whenever their top order has provided them a strong position, their middle order has failed to use it, and moreover has lost the momentum in the process.

The pitches have been bizarre in Delhi this season. It was a shocking decision to play on spinning surfaces against Chennai and Kolkata, who love to play on this kind of surface because of their strength in that department.

Despite having two-star Indian spinners in the form of Axar and Kuldeep Yadav, they have not done well in that department, with just 29 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 37.93 and an economy rate of 10.34. The left-arm wrist spinner has gone through a nightmarish period with just seven wickets in 10 innings at an average of over 50 and an economy rate of nearly 11.  

See Also: IPL 2026: ‘Don’t control pitch…’- Hemang Badani breaks silence after DC’s fourth successive home defeat

In terms of batting contribution, KL Rahul is their leading run-getter with 468 runs in 11 innings at an average of 46.80 and a strike rate of 180 in IPL 2026, thanks to three fifties and one century at the best score of unbeaten 152 runs. But they don’t have anyone apart from him in the top 20 batters.

The same story continues in the bowling department. Axar, their leading wicket-taker of the IPL 2026, is at the 17th position of the table at an economy rate of 8.08. And he is the only member of their bowling unit in the top 25 wicket-takers of the season.

Even in the previous season, they started with a bang and lost track in the middle half of the competition. And in this ongoing season, it has slowly moved in the same direction for the franchise. The clash against the Punjab Kings in Dharamsala would be their do-or-die encounter.