Despite the off-field distraction, Rana remained focused on the task at hand. He raced to his half-century in just 20 balls, brought up his century in 42, and continued to dominate the South Delhi attack. Rathi, meanwhile, endured a torrid time with the ball, conceding 39 runs from his two overs without a wicket
Rana seen involved in a fiery on-field altercation with wrist-spinner Rathi after smashing him for a boundary and three consecutive sixes in his very first over
A high-voltage Eliminator clash in the Delhi Premier League 2025 (DPL 2025) turned even more intense as tempers flared between West Delhi Lions' skipper Nitish Rana and South Delhi Superstarz’s Digvesh Rathi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday. The two players were involved in a heated face-off during a high-scoring encounter that saw Nitish emerge as the undisputed hero of the night.
Chasing a stiff target of 202, Rana produced a breathtaking display of power-hitting, scoring an unbeaten 134 off 55 balls, laced with eight fours and 15 sixes, as West Delhi Lions romped home with seven wickets in hand and 17.1 overs bowled.
It’s all happening here! 🔥🏏
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 29, 2025
Nitish Rana | Digvesh Singh Rathi | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025 #Delhi pic.twitter.com/OfDZQGhOlr
However, Rana's fireworks weren't limited to just the scoreboard. The southpaw was involved in a fiery on-field altercation with wrist-spinner Rathi after smashing him for a boundary and three consecutive sixes in his very first over. The moment quickly escalated when Rana, visibly animated, was caught on camera mimicking Rathi’s signature celebration by swinging his bat in mockery after one of the sixes.
Rathi, clearly irked by the gesture, retaliated with verbal remarks. The exchange boiled over when Rana appeared to charge toward Rathi, leading to a confrontation that required umpires and fellow players to step in and diffuse the tension.
Despite the off-field distraction, Rana remained focused on the task at hand. He raced to his half-century in just 20 balls, brought up his century in 42, and continued to dominate the South Delhi attack. Rathi, meanwhile, endured a torrid time with the ball, conceding 39 runs from his two overs without a wicket.
The altercation aside, it was Rana’s commanding knock that stole the spotlight, guiding West Delhi Lions to the penultimate stage of the tournament. His innings is already being hailed as one of the finest in DPL history, with social media buzzing over both his explosive batting and the dramatic confrontation.
With this win, West Delhi Lions move on to Qualifier 2, where they will face East Delhi Riders on Saturday, August 30. Under the leadership of Tejasvi Dahiya, the Lions will be eyeing another dominant performance as they aim to book their place in the DPL 2025 Final.
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