“That’s how it’s done!” – Nitish Rana wins hearts after heated clash with Digvesh Rathi in Delhi Premier League
New Delhi: Aggressive batter Nitish Rana grabbed headlines in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) after a fiery on-field altercation with South Delhi Superstars spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi during Friday’s Eliminator clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Both players were fined for their roles in the incident, but Rana silenced critics with a stunning match-winning knock.
What happened on the field?
In the high-stakes Eliminator, South Delhi Superstars posted 201/5 in 20 overs under Tejasvi Dahiya’s leadership. In reply, West Delhi Lions, captained by Rana, chased down the target in just 17.1 overs, winning by 7 wickets. Rana hammered an explosive 134 off 55 balls* (15 sixes, 8 fours), while Rathi bowled 2 overs for 39 runs without a wicket.
The tension escalated when Rathi paused mid-run-up to disrupt Rana’s concentration. In response, Rana stepped away, then launched an aggressive counterattack, even mocking Rathi’s “notebook celebration” after hitting a boundary. The verbal spat forced umpires and teammates to intervene. Rana had the last laugh, guiding his side to victory.
Cricketers’ reactions:
Suyash Sharma called Rana “Baadshah” (King).
Harshit Rana posted “Ye hui na baat” (That’s the spirit!) applauding Rana’s dominance.
Navdeep Saini said, “Swad aa gaya” (That was satisfying).
England opener Phil Salt jokingly hailed him as “Rana Ji.”
Nitish Rana’s statement:
Rana later told media:
“We were both trying to win for our teams, but respecting the game is important. He started it, and if someone provokes me, I don’t stay quiet. I’ve always played this way — if someone tries to unsettle me, I answer with sixes. I’ve never initiated such incidents, but my parents taught me to defend myself if I’m not wrong. That’s what I did”
Match fines:Also read: Start Time Of Asia Cup Matches Pushed Back By Half An Hour Due To UAE Heat
Digvesh Rathi: 80% of match fee (provoking Rana)
Nitish Rana: 50% (offensive gesture)
Krish Yadav: 100% (threatening opponent)
Sumit Mathur: 50% (provocative reaction)
Aman Bharti: 30% (offensive signal)
Rana’s blazing form: 22 sixes in 3 days!:
On Sunday, Rana led West Delhi Lions to the first-ever DPL title, smashing 79 off 49 balls* (7 sixes, 4 fours) in the final against Central Delhi Kings (led by Jonty Sidhu). Chasing 174, West Delhi sealed victory in 18 overs with an unbeaten 85-run stand between Rana and Hrithik Shokeen (42*).
Across Friday’s Eliminator and Sunday’s final, Rana smashed 22 sixes in 3 days — 15 in the Eliminator and 7 in the final — cementing his “Baadshah” status in Delhi cricket.