Every few seasons, IPL reminds us that strong starts don't guarantee strong finishes
Delhi Capitals' 2025 season had all the signs of something special. Four straight wins. Five out of six. It felt like a team on a mission. However, as the league stage end is nearby, that bright start faded into a bitter ending. The last playoff spot slipped away. And for IPL fans with long memories, it felt like we'd seen this collapse before. Rewind to 2018 — Kings XI Punjab had walked the same tragic path.
Both teams kicked off with fire. DC looked invincible early in 2025. 2018 KXIP was no different — it had five wins in six games and was bossing at home in Mohali. Chris Gayle had the first ton of the season. KL Rahul was lighting up scoreboards. And yet, both teams lost rhythm mid-season. What followed wasn't just a stumble — it was a spiral. From title talks to elimination. From top-two hopes to a no-show in the playoffs.
For Delhi, inconsistency at the top proved fatal—no settled opening duo. In six games, seven different combinations walked out first. Jake Fraser-McGurk, KL Rahul, Faf du Plessis — the names changed, but the results didn't improve. Their openers averaged a league-low 19.23. Even when Karun Nair exploded with an 89-run firecracker early in the season, his spark didn't last. He fizzled out quickly and shuffled around the order. KL Rahul tried to plug gaps, but DC lost more balance with every shuffle.
KXIP's 2018 downfall had its turning point, too. An 8-day break and a venue change broke their momentum. From the comfort of Mohali to the Holkar chaos of Indore, the magic vanished. Mujeeb Ur Rahman was spinning webs, Rahul was in vintage form, but cracks emerged. They lost key matches, and when Mujeeb got injured, their bowling lost its sting. It wasn't enough, even with Andrew Tye ending as the season's highest wicket-taker.
KL Rahul played the lone warrior role in both tales. In 2018, he was KXIP's spine. In 2025, he did it again — this time in DC colours, scoring 493 runs. But beyond him, Delhi's batting felt hollow. Abishek Porel contributed 295. Faf struggled with injuries. Fraser-McGurk couldn't convert starts. Karun Nair fell off after one flash of brilliance. When Rahul didn't fire, the Capitals looked lost.
Bowling cost Delhi dearly. Domestic pacers crumbled when it mattered. Mukesh Kumar and Mohit Sharma leaked runs at the death. On the day it mattered most, MI hammered 48 runs in the last two overs. Chameera and Mukesh had no answers. Mitchell Starc's absence post-break added salt to the wounds. Even with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel trying to weave magic, DC couldn't contain games in clutch moments.
KXIP's 2018 heartbreak came on the final day. They needed a miracle win against CSK and hoped Delhi would beat MI. While Delhi delivered, Punjab's own collapse against Chennai dashed hopes. In 2025, it's DC's turn to face that empty feeling. Despite early fireworks, they finish just short—one point off the mark. It was a season of bold starts, battered finishes, and broken dreams.
Every few seasons, IPL reminds us that strong starts don't guarantee strong finishes. Delhi in 2025 and Punjab in 2018 are mirror images — teams that roared early, then withered away. Their stories are warnings for future title hopefuls. Momentum is fleeting. Settled combinations matter. And in this league, every game counts, especially after halfway.
Let's see which team learns this lesson next.
