New Delhi: ‘What was David Miller thinking?’ ‘Why didn’t he run?’ These questions will be on the minds of people after Delhi Capitals suffered a humiliating loss to Gujarat Titans by one run in IPL 2026. But beyond the drama and debate, what really stood out was Axar Patel’s touching post-match gesture.Miller endured a whirlwind night that ended in pain at the Aaron Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. The South African almost pulled off a great heist, knocking out an unbeaten 41 off just 20 balls to bring DC back from the brink. With 2 goals less and 2 goals scored, victory seemed within reach.Then the moment came that changed everything.Facing Prasidh Krishna, Miller denied a single on the penultimate delivery, favoring himself to end the game with a boundary. But Krishna beat him with a slower bounce on the last ball. In desperation, Miller and Kuldeep Yadav attempted a bye, but Jos Buttler struck a direct hit to seal a dramatic victory for Gujarat.DC finished with a score of 209/8, one point shy of the GT’s total score of 210.Miller was clearly devastated. But in that desperate moment, Axar Patel’s reaction said it all. The DC captain stepped forward, shook Miller’s hand, put his arm around his shoulders and offered encouragement. As one commentator aptly put it: “The captain, tells one of his soldiers how smart he is.”Watch: Axar Patel’s heartfelt gesture for distraught David MillerEarlier, Gujarat Titans posted 210/4 with the help of half-centuries from Shubman Gill, Buttler and Washington Sundar. KL Rahul’s flowing 92 and Pathum Nissanka’s 41 laid the foundation, but Rashid Khan’s triple knock turned the tide.With 36 points needed in the final two overs, the game looked over – until Miller’s late attack, including a 106-metre six, reignited hopes. He snatched 23 points from Mohammed Siraj in the penultimate over to take the match to the last minute.But in the end, it wasn’t just the missed runs that decided the night, it was the captain’s compassion that left a lasting impression.
