IPL 2026 | 'My mother doesn't know much about cricket but ... ': 22-year-old Madhav Tiwari makes heartfelt admission

NEW DELHI: A night that began with Punjab Kings threatening to bat Delhi Capitals out of the contest ended with a young all-rounder, named Madhav Tiwari, calmly finishing the chase under pressure and speaking like someone already comfortable with the IPL spotlight.

Powered by half-centuries from skipper Axar Patel and David Miller, Delhi Capitals pulled off a thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings in a high-scoring IPL clash on Monday, chasing down 211 in just 19 overs to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Punjab Kings looked set for an even bigger total after Priyansh Arya blasted 56 off 33 balls and added 78 runs with Prabhsimran Singh inside seven overs. When captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the middle overs with an unbeaten 59 off 36 and Cooper Connolly added 38, PBKS posted a daunting 210 for five.

Delhi’s reply stumbled early at 74 for four, but Axar and Miller rebuilt the innings with composure and power. Just when the equation threatened to tighten again, Ashutosh Sharma and young all-rounder Madhav Tiwari completed the chase with remarkable calm.

For Madhav, it was one of those nights where everything seemed to click — two wickets with the ball and a nerveless cameo in a pressure chase.

“This is my second year in the IPL. I feel I have become quite used to the environment,” Madhav said after the match. “The management and all the seniors are super supportive. You can go to them anytime to ask anything or do anything. But now that I am used to it, I had to control my nerves. It is a game of bat and ball. I was just focusing on my basics. Things turned out well and that is fortunate.”

The 22-year-old revealed that batting was always his first love growing up in Indore, even though his coaches pushed him toward becoming a complete cricketer.

“I liked batting a lot. I wanted to become a batsman. Bowling was very tiring,” he said with a smile. “Your body is used a lot. I find it easy to bat. You can bat for as long as you want.”

Madhav credited former India cricketer and coach Amay Khurasiya for shaping his all-round game.

“My head coach made sure that I pick up both things. He played a lot of cricket. He knew the benefits of it. When I understood how important the combination of both is, I started working equally hard on both.”

The composure he showed alongside Ashutosh Sharma during the tense finish reflected that maturity. The pair, who know each other from before the IPL, never looked rushed despite the mounting pressure.

“We had a clear understanding of what was required,” Madhav said. “The way the game was going on, the ball was coming nicely onto the bat. We were very comfortable. We have played together and we know each other from the same place. The atmosphere was very chill.”