Playing only the second match of his senior professional career, Madhav Tiwari delivered a memorable all-round performance to help Delhi Capitals stay alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race. The 22-year-old fast-bowling all-rounder starred with both bat and ball during DC’s thrilling three-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Monday.
Chasing a daunting target of 211, Tiwari walked in at No. 8 and smashed an unbeaten 18 off just eight balls, including two fours and a six, guiding Delhi Capitals home with an over to spare. His fearless cameo under pressure earned him his maiden IPL Player-of-the-Match award.
Before his late fireworks with the bat, Tiwari had already made a key contribution with the ball. He broke the momentum of PBKS opener Priyansh Arya, who had blasted 56 off 33 balls, and later dismissed the well-set Cooper Connolly for 38 off 27. Although he conceded 40 runs in his four overs, the two timely breakthroughs played a major role in preventing Punjab Kings from posting an even bigger total.
Tiwari, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 40 lakh at the IPL mega auction and retained for the ongoing season. He had made his official IPL debut against Mumbai Indians earlier this year, scoring 3 runs before being dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah.
Interestingly, Tiwari’s first appearance for Delhi Capitals had also come against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. That match, played on May 8, was abandoned due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. In the shortened outing, he bowled one over and conceded 14 runs.
Despite not yet representing Madhya Pradesh at the senior domestic level, Tiwari has built a strong reputation in age-group cricket and the Madhya Pradesh T20 League. He has represented the state at the U-19 and U-23 levels and featured for the Bhopal Leopards in the MP T20 League.
One of his standout performances came in the semi-final of the state T20 competition, where he smashed 65 off just 31 balls against Rewa Jaguars to help Bhopal Leopards qualify for the final.
