The Delhi Premier League (DPL) Eliminator at Arun Jaitley Stadium turned into a drama-filled clash as West Delhi Lions defeated South Delhi Superstarz by chasing down 202, but the game was marred by ugly on-field fights involving Nitish Rana and Digvesh Rathi.
Rana vs Rathi sparks controversy
Batting in blistering form, Lions skipper Nitish Rana smashed Rathi for three consecutive sixes to reach his half-century in just 20 balls. Tensions flared in the next over when Rathi exchanged words with Rana, leading to heated confrontations. Rana even mocked the young spinner with Rathi’s own “notebook celebration” after another six, further stoking tempers.
It’s all happening here! 🔥🏏
Nitish Rana | Digvesh Singh Rathi | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025 #Delhi pic.twitter.com/OfDZQGhOlr
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 29, 2025
On-field brawls erupt
The drama escalated when Krish Yadav fell to Aman Bharti. Bharti’s aggressive celebration triggered another altercation, with Sumit Mathur and Tejaswi Dahiya from South Delhi also clashing with Lions players. Pushes, shoves, and finger-pointing followed, forcing umpires and teammates to intervene to restore order.
An intense moment in the middle! 🏏
Nitish Rana | Digvesh Singh Rathi | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025 #Delhi pic.twitter.com/dX5E5wFDqd
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 29, 2025
Rana’s match-winning knock
Despite the chaos, Rana played arguably his finest T20 knock, smashing 134 off just 55 balls* with eight fours and 15 sixes. His dominance ensured West Delhi Lions chased down the target and advanced to face East Delhi Riders in Qualifier 2 on Saturday night.
What started as a high-stakes knockout clash will now be remembered as much for the cricket as for the on-field “lafda” that overshadowed the contest.
