The title dreams of Central Delhi Kings ended with a loss by six wickets against West Delhi Lions in the DPL 2025 Final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. CDK batted first and posted 173/7 in their 20 overs due to Yugal Saini's 65 off 48 and a half-century by Pranshu Vijayran (50 not out off 24). CDK lost key wickets up front and didn't get the finishing push they required. The West Delhi Lions strolled past the modest total in 18 overs due to a stellar innings by Nitish Rana (79 off 49), finishing their innings with 2 overs to spare. The Lions were clearly superior with bat and ball and deserving winners. Below are the main reasons for the Central Delhi Kings' defeat:

1. Nitish Rana’s match-winning contribution

Nitish Rana led the chase with a solid 79 off 49 balls. He mixed power-hitting with intelligent strike manipulation to dictate the innings. His innings ensured WDL was in control of the game throughout.

2. CDK’s early collapse under spin pressure

Central Delhi Kings lost quick wickets despite good knocks later on. Shivank Vasisht (2/12) and Manan Bhardwaj (2/11) kept them in check during the middle overs. This pressure meant CDK couldn’t fully capitalize on Saini and Vijayran’s efforts.

See Also: Who is Manan Bhardwaj who clinched the Player of the Match award in Qualifier 2 of DPL 2025

3. West Delhi’s incisive bowling and field strategy

Simarjeet Singh (2/35) gave the Lions early breakthroughs with the new ball. Their bowlers were able to strike at intervals to stop CDK's momentum. Their efforts in keeping CDK to 173/7 saw them put up a chaseable score.

The Final of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 is upon us, on Sunday, August 31, Central Delhi Kings vs. West Delhi Lions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, at 7:00 PM IST. Both teams are looking for their first DPL title so this is a so-called blockbuster finale to conclude a thrilling season.

Central Delhi Kings earned their spot in the grand finale after outclassing East Delhi Riders in a rain-affected Qualifier 1. With a few days of rest and preparation, Jonty Sidhu’s side will aim to replicate their composed performances and clinch the championship. West Delhi Lions, however, have taken the tougher path, completing a tough Eliminator victory against South Delhi Superstarz before overcoming the fearsome competitor East Delhi Riders in Qualifier 2. Having that game behind them, full of belief and form, WDL will be hoping they can still get this fairy tale story and lift the trophy!

CDK vs WDL: Head-to-head record

• Matches played: 03
• CDK wins: 02
  
• WDL wins: 01
  
• Tied/No Result: 00
  

While CDK has the advantage in their previous meetings, WDL has shown in the past that they can rise to the occasion at crucial moments in knockout games.

CDK vs WDL: Pitch Report

The Arun Jaitley Stadium has certainly had plenty of runs during the knockout matches this year, and chasing sides have been victorious in all three matches so far. The surface allows a bit of balance, with help for bowlers, but batters have mostly dictated the temper. The team that wins the toss will probably want to bowl first, but the pressure of the final could potentially influence the decision, based on conditions of the surface at the time of starting.

See Also: DPL 2025 Final: Central Delhi Kings vs West Delhi Lions live streaming & where to watch

CDK vs WDL: Predicted Playing XIs

Central Delhi Kings (CDK): Aaryavir Sehwag, Kaushal Suman (wk), Yugal Saini, Jonty Sidhu (c), Jasvir Sehrawat, Aditya Bhandari, Simarjeet Singh, Tejas Baroka, Money Grewal, Gavinsh Khurana, Arun Pundir

West Delhi Lions (WDL): Ankit Kumar, Krish Yadav (wk), Ayush Doseja, Nitish Rana (c), Mayank Gusain, Hrithik Shokeen, Manan Bhardwaj, Anirudh Chowdhary, Ravneet Tanwar, Bhangwan Singh, Shubham Dubey

East Delhi Riders were eliminated from the DPL 2025 with an 8-wicket loss to West Delhi Lions in Qualifier 2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Batting first, Riders only scored 139/8, with Arpit Rana’s 50 the only highlight in a dismal innings. Once again, the middle order failed to deliver and the total was below par on a decent batting pitch. West Delhi Lions’ bowlers kept things tight and ensured the Riders’ score was never in sight. Chasing 140, the Lions chased it down in 17.3 overs thanks to Ayush Doseja and captain Nitish Rana’s explosive partnership. Below are the main reasons for the East Delhi Riders' defeat.

1. Underwhelming batting effort

The East Delhi Riders 139/8 fell well short of par on a surface that was conducive to stroke play. Only Arpit Rana stood tall with a half-century and with little support from others, they lost all momentum. Too many dot balls and wickets fell in the middle overs, which made them end up with a total that was not competitive.

2. West Delhi Lions’ disciplined bowling

Manan Bhardwaj (3/22) and Tishant Dabla (2/18) bowled with accuracy and broke partnerships at the right time. Their spells squeezed Riders’ scoring rate and ensured the middle order never settled. Even though a few overs leaked runs, the collective effort kept the pressure intact.

See Also: Asia Cup Champions: Year-Wise Winners List

3. Dominant chase by Rana and Doseja

The chase was made to look easy by the Lions with Ayush Doseja’s controlled 54 and Nitish Rana's blistering 45 memorable runs off 26 deliveries. Their aggressive intention left the Riders’ bowlers clueless and helpless. Having plenty of wickets in hand, the Lions won with plenty to spare in the 18th over.

Qualifier 2 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 will see East Delhi Riders (EDR) facing West Delhi Lions (WDL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, August 30. The winner will take on the Central Delhi Kings in the tournament final. EDR, captained by Anuj Rawat, had a good tournament from the league stage andwill be looking for a bounce back from their loss to Central Delhi. WDL, led by Nitish Rana, are coming off a comfortable Eliminator win over South Delhi Superstarz and will be looking to carry this momentum into their match. Both teams will be eager to reach the final.

EDR vs WDL: Match Details

• Match: East Delhi Riders vs West Delhi Lions
• Date: August 30, 2025, Delhi
• Time: 7:00 PM IST
• Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Tournament: Delhi Premier League 2025—Qualifier 2

EDR vs WDL: Live Streaming Details

See Also: DPL 2025 Qualifier 2: EDR vs WDL head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

EDR vs WDL: Predicted Playing XIs

East Delhi Riders (EDR): Hardik Sharma, Arpit Rana, Vaibhav Baisal, Sujal Singh, Anuj Rawat (c & wk), Mayank Rawat, Rohan Rathi, Rounak Waghela, Navdeep Saini, Akhil Chowdhary, Ashish Meena, Rohit Yadav

West Delhi Lions (WDL): Krish Yadav (wk), Ankit Kumar-I, Ayush Doseja, Nitish Rana (c), Mayank Gusain, Hrithik Shokeen, Ravneet Tanwar, Manan Bharadwaj, Shivank Vashisht, Anirudh Chowdhary, Shubham Dubey

Qualifier 2 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 will pit East Delhi Riders (EDR) against West Delhi Lions (WDL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on Saturday, August 30, at 7:00 PM IST. The winner will go on to face Central Delhi Kings in the grand final on Sunday.

EDR had a strong league stage and ended the league stage higher than WDL. Although they lost to the Central Delhi Kings in Qualifier 1, they played consistently well throughout the season and should approach the contest with some belief and confidence. On the other hand, Nitish Rana’s WDL, who finished third in the table, are coming off a commanding win against South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator. They will rely on their skipper’s match-winning form to clear one final hurdle before the summit clash.

EDR vs CDK: Head-to-Head Record

• Matches: 04
  
• EDR Won: 03
  
• WDL Won: 01
  
• Tied/No Result: 00
  

EDR does have the historical advantage of beating WDL three times in four games against each other.

EDR vs WDL: Pitch Report

The Arun Jaitley Stadium has seen plenty of high-scoring games this season; however, bowlers, particularly pacers, have found some help with pace and bounce. Batting first, like the previous matches this season, teams may be able to get more of their runs on the board, as chasing is that much tougher when the pace and carry are lost in the surface after a certain point in the match. Expect another even battle between bat and ball.

See Also: DPL 2025 Qualifier 2: East Delhi Riders vs West Delhi Lions live streaming & where to watch

EDR vs WDL: Predicted Playing XIs

East Delhi Riders (EDR): Hardik Sharma, Arpit Rana, Vaibhav Baisal, Sujal Singh, Anuj Rawat (c & wk), Mayank Rawat, Rohan Rathi, Rounak Waghela, Navdeep Saini, Akhil Chowdhary, Ashish Meena, Rohit Yadav

West Delhi Lions (WDL): Krish Yadav (wk), Ankit Kumar-I, Ayush Doseja, Nitish Rana (c), Mayank Gusain, Hrithik Shokeen, Ravneet Tanwar, Manan Bharadwaj, Shivank Vashisht, Anirudh Chowdhary, Shubham Dubey

West Delhi Lions have qualified for the 2nd Qualifier of the DPL 2025 with an amazing 7-wicket victory over South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Needing a massive 202 to win, the Lions achieved the target in 17.1 overs with 3 wickets remaining. Captain Nitish Rana was the main entertainer with his blistering 134 off 55 balls as he completely tore apart the SDS bowling attack. South Delhi had made 201/5 earlier, with Tejasvi Dahiya scoring 60 and Anmol Sharma 55. However, the Lions' batting strength and bowling discipline sealed a win without any trouble. Below are the main reasons for South Delhi Superstarz defeat:

1. Heroic batting from Nitish Rana.

Nitish Rana played one of the best innings of the season, hitting 134 runs from 55 balls at a staggering strike rate. Most importantly, this helped ease the pressure of the chase and gave no opportunity for the SDS bowlers to come back. The skipper’s dominance was the biggest difference-maker in the Eliminator.

2. High scoring rate and ruthless acceleration

The Lions were always taking the chase comfortably at a run rate of over 11.5 per over. Their brutal hitting during the middle and death overs led to the target being reached with nearly 3 overs remaining. This acceleration completely killed SDS’s hopes.

See Also: United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series 2025 , Match 1: PAK vs AFG, Match Highlights and Key Performances

3. Bowling strategy keeping SDS in check

Although SDS's scored 201/5, the Lions' bowlers kept it in check, preventing SDS from getting an even bigger total. Timely wickets ensured that partnerships didn’t explode beyond control. Their disciplined effort meant the chase was always achievable for the Lions.

In Qualifier 1 of the Delhi Premier League 2025, Central Delhi Kings defeated East Delhi Riders by 6 wickets in a rain-shortened clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Riders could only manage 90 all out in 14.5 overs, with Sujal Singh (39 off 25) and skipper Anuj Rawat (23 off 26) providing the only resistance. Simarjeet Singh starred for CDK with a fiery spell of 5/23, while Money Grewal (2/7) added vital support. Chasing a modest target of 91, the Kings eased to 92/4 in 11.3 overs, led by Aditya Bhandari (33 off 19) and Jonty Sidhu (26 off 15). The victory booked CDK’s direct place in the DPL 2025 Final. Below are the main reasons for the East Delhi Riders' defeat:

1. Simarjeet Singh’s Match-Winning Spell

Simarjeet Singh was astounding, ripping through the EDR’s batting unit with 5/31 in only 3 overs. His wickets took the top-order batters at the top and at the right time. That spell left the Riders reeling and allowed CDK to dictate the game from the start.

2. East Delhi Riders’ Batting Collapse

Despite Sujal Singh’s 39 and Anuj Rawat’s 23, the rest of the lineup failed miserably. No other batter crossed 11 runs, leading to a total collapse at 90 all out in 14.5 overs. The lack of middle-order partnerships left EDR with no chance to compete.

See Also: Duleep Trophy 2025 Round 1: All Scores from Day 2

3. Composed Chase from Central Delhi Kings

Chasing 91, CDK lost four wickets but never panicked. Aditya Bhandari (33 off 19) and skipper Jonty Sidhu (26 off 15) played with intent, while Aryan Rana chipped in with 14. Their calm batting sealed a smooth 6-wicket win in 11.3 overs.

In Match 40 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025, the North Delhi Strikers (NDS) lost to the New Delhi Tigers (NDT) by six wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite a great century from Sarthak Ranjan (100 off 58) and a blazing 47 off 23 from Arjun Rapria, Strikers managed to get 199/6 in their 20 overs. The Tigers made light work of the chase, reaching 200/4 in 20 overs, with Lakshay Thareja’s unbeaten 80 off 48 leading the way. Below are the main reasons for the North Delhi Strikers' defeat:

1. Lack of Support for Sarthak Ranjan

Ranjan’s 100 was the standout knock, but no one else stood tall apart from Arjun Rapria’s quick 47. Arnay Bugga (14 off 11) and others fell cheaply, leaving the innings heavily reliant on one man. Despite Ranjan’s brilliance, the total of 199/6 was always under par against a powerful Tigers’ lineup.

2. Inability to Contain the Tigers’ Top Order

The bowlers struggled to break the top order of the Tigers, as Lakshay Thareja (80 off 48)* and Dhruv Kaushik (41 off 25) dealt the blow early. Himmat Singh (34 off 22) added to the firepower on a good batting surface, ensuring NDT was always on the front foot. Without early wickets, NDS very quickly lost their chances of defending a total of 199.

See Also: DPL 2025 Eliminator: West Delhi Lions vs South Delhi Superstarz live streaming & where to watch

3. Ineffective Bowling Strategy

Although skipper Vaibhav Kandpal was good with 2/19 in 4 overs, others were very expensive. Siddhartha Solanki (1/48) and Prabhjot Singh (1/38) were poor and were severely punished under pressure as NDT batting found boundaries consistently. With no effective bowling variations, NDT chase the target comfortably.

West Delhi Lions (WDL) will meet South Delhi Superstarz (SDS) in the Eliminator of Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 on Friday at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. WDL has 4 wins and 3 losses under captain Nitish Rana. SDS also has 4 wins and 3 losses as well. Both teams have one rain-impacted game. WDL has a better net run rate of +0.501 in comparison to SDS’s net run rate of -1,089. SDS recently beat Purani Dilli 6 in their last game, so we know they can handle pressure even with shortened circumstances. The Eliminator is a high-stakes match and WDL does have the upper hand with a head-to-head edge over SDS.

WDL vs SDS: Match Details

• Match: West Delhi Lions vs South Delhi Superstarz
• Date: August 29, 2025, Delhi
• Time: 7:00 PM IST
• Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
• Tournament: Delhi Premier League 2025—Eliminator

WDL vs SDS: Live Streaming Details

See Also: DPL 2025 Eliminator: WDL vs SDS head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

WDL vs SDS: Predicted Playing XIs

West Delhi Lions (WDL): Ankit Kumar, Krish Yadav (wk), Ayush Doseja, Nitish Rana (c), Ravneet Tanwar, Shivank Vashisht, Mayank Gusain, Manan Bhardwaj, Hrithik Shokeen, Anirudh Chowdhary, Shubham Dubey

South Delhi Superstarz (SDS): Kunwar Bidhuri, Anmol Sharma, Tejasvi Dahiya (c & wk), Vision Panchal, Sumit Kumar Beniwal, Manish Sehrawat, Sumit Mathur, Abhishek Khandelwal, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Aman Bharti, Divansh Rawat

The West Delhi Lions (WDL) face off against the South Delhi Superstarz (SDS) in the Eliminator of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, on Friday, August 29, 2025 at 7:00 PM (IST). WDL, led by their captain Nitish Rana, ended the league stage with four wins and three losses, with the final three matches providing no results. Before the rains interrupted WDL, they had won consecutive matches in the league, providing some momentum leading into this knockout match.

SDS also ended at the league stage with four wins, three losses, and three no results, finishing on the same points as WDL. However, their net run rate of -1.089 was much less than WDL's +0.501 net run rate. In their most recent match, SDS defeated Purani Dilli 6 by eight wickets in a curtailed seven-over match, showing they have enough composure under pressure in the shortened games.

WDL vs SDS: Head-to-Head

Match Played: 03 
Won by WDL: 02
Won by SDS: 01
No Results: 00

WDL has historical strength, winning two of the three matches between the two sides.

WDL vs SDS: Pitch Report

The Arun Jaitley Stadium pitch is likely to be relatively flat and conducive to high scoring, with a short boundary that will make it easier to score runs. Therefore, it will be difficult for bowlers to stop batters, although rain may play a role. Captains may opt to chase in rain-affected conditions.

See Also: DPL 2025 Eliminator: West Delhi Lions vs South Delhi Superstarz live streaming & where to watch

WDL vs SDS: Predicted Playing XIs

West Delhi Lions (WDL): Ankit Kumar, Krish Yadav (wk), Ayush Doseja, Nitish Rana (c), Ravneet Tanwar, Shivank Vashisht, Mayank Gusain, Manan Bhardwaj, Hrithik Shokeen, Anirudh Chowdhary, Shubham Dubey

South Delhi Superstarz (SDS): Kunwar Bidhuri, Anmol Sharma, Tejasvi Dahiya (c & wk), Vision Panchal, Sumit Kumar Beniwal, Manish Sehrawat, Sumit Mathur, Abhishek Khandelwal, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Aman Bharti, Divansh Rawat