Watch: IPL Stars Nitish Rana, Digvesh Rathi Almost Come To Blows, Abuses Each Other In Heated DPL Match
IPL Stars Nitish Rana, Digvesh had a huge fight during the West Delhi Lions vs South Delhi Superstarz Delhi Premier League match
- Nitish Rana's altercation with controversial IPL star Digvesh Rathi grabbed the limelight
- Rathi, who was banned for one match during IPL 2025, riled up Rana, who responded verbally
- The two almost came to blows before Rathi's teammates intervened
Nitish Rana, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, had an eventful Friday evening. The star left-hander scored an unbeaten 134 off just 55 balls for West Delhi Lions against South Delhi Superstarz, helping his team chase down a 202-run target in just 17.1 overs. However, apart from his innings—which included 15 sixes and eight fours—Rana's altercation with controversial IPL star Digvesh Rathi grabbed the limelight. Rathi, who had been banned for one match during IPL 2025 for his notebook-signing celebration, riled up Rana, who responded verbally. The two almost came to blows before Rathi's teammates intervened.
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
The West Delhi Lions roared into Qualifier 2 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 after skipper Nitish Rana's sensational century powered them to a thrilling seven-wicket win over South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday. Chasing a daunting target of 202, the Lions suffered early hiccups, losing two wickets inside the powerplay. But Rana, leading from the front, joined hands with Krish Yadav to steady the ship. The duo stitched together a crucial 97-run stand for the third wicket, swinging the momentum firmly back in the Lions' favour.
Krish looked fluent in his 31 off 22 before being dismissed by Aman Bharti, but Rana carried on unfazed. The skipper unleashed his full range of strokes, mixing timing with power, and ensured the chase stayed under control. His match-winning ton—studded with crisp boundaries and calculated aggression—became the cornerstone of the Lions' successful pursuit.
Earlier, the South Delhi Superstarz had posted an imposing 201/5 in 20 overs. Openers Anmol Sharma and Ankur Kaushik gave their side a flying start with a 67-run stand, but a mini-collapse saw them stumble to 78/3.
It was then that captain Tejasvi Dahiya and Sumit Mathur took charge. The pair added a magnificent 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket, rebuilding the innings with attacking strokeplay. Tejasvi played a captain's knock of 60 off 33 before falling to Anirudh Chowdhary, while Sumit Mathur provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 48 off just 26 balls, propelling the Superstarz past the 200-run mark.
But Rana's brilliance with the bat ensured the Lions had the final say. With this win, the West Delhi Lions booked a spot in Qualifier 2, where they will face the East Delhi Riders on Saturday. The winner of that contest will earn a ticket to the grand finale against the Central Delhi Kings, setting the stage for a blockbuster finish to the tournament.