The Eliminator of the Delhi Premier League 2025 had all the ingredients of a high-stakes clash for fans, including big runs, high-pressure scenarios, and an on-field spat. After tempers boiled over during their tussle at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, West Delhi Lions captain Nitish Rana and South Delhi Superstarz spinner Digvesh Rathi found themselves in the spotlight.

The trouble began in the third over of the chase, when Rathi appeared to play some mind games by taking too long to deliver the ball. Rana, who plays hard, was unhappy with this. When Rana hit a six off Rathi's reverse sweep, he proceeded to give the spinner a taste of his own by mimicking his celebration, and this appeared to take things too far. The exchange of gestures evolved into a spat, which umpires needed to put a stop to.

After the match, Rana shared his side of the story

"I don't initiate these things; he tried to irritate me. If someone tries to poke me, I will always poke back; that's my game," he said. "Respect for the game is important, though people need to realize that every time you poke me, the best of my batting will come out."

Rana’s comment mattered, especially given the subsequent events in the middle. While chasing a difficult target of 202, the left-hander delivered a tremendous experience. He smashed a majestic 134 not out off 55 balls, including eight boundaries and a whopping 15 sixes. His explosive innings turned the game on its head, as he guided the Lions to a convincing seven-wicket victory with almost three overs to spare.

ALSO SEE: 'Five-star jail...'- Bharat Arun recalls how Mohammed Siraj dealt with his father's death during BGT 2020/21

Match referees later found Rathi and Rana guilty of their actions on the field, imposing penalties that involved losing 80% of Rathi's match fee and 50% of Rana's match fee, a clear sign that both players went too far. Despite the punishment, the way Rana dominated the ball ensured he walked away with the victory and the Player of the Match award.

When asked about his character and playing style, Rana insisted that his upbringing influenced his no-nonsense attitude.
"My parents always told me that if I am right, I should never back down. I'm not going to start a fight, but if you make me. I'll give it back. That is me on the field and off the field," he said.

The Lions’ victory has set up a blockbuster final against the Central Delhi Kings, and with Rana in this sort of form, they will certainly go into the title clash loaded with confidence.

Digvesh Rathi and Nitish Rana were fined heavily for their heated moment during South Delhi Superstarz vs. West Delhi Lions Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. 

Heat started to increase during an over of Superstarz's spinner Digvesh Rathi when West Delhi Lions captain Nitish Rana was on strike. After a huge six from Rana, Rathi lost his cool. Rana too lost his calmness and engaged in a verbal spat. Other players on the field and the umpire rushed to the spot to normalize the situation. By that time, both of the players had breached the rules. For which, they now have to pay hefty fines.

According to the latest updates, Rathi was fined 80 percent of his match fee for a Code of Conduct breach under Article 2.2—"conduct contrary to the spirit of the game." And on the other side, Rana was fined 50 percent of his match fee for a Code of Conduct breach under Article 2.6 (Level 1), which pertains to "using a gesture that is obscene, offensive, or insulting during a match."

Read More: [WATCH] Hardik Pandya to lead India in T20 World Cup 2026? Former CSK star drops bombshell

The cause of the incident actually rooted deep in the over, before Rana's over-boundary. During the over, Rathi denied a delivery when he was about to release the ball. Rana was all set to swing the bat, but as Rathi cancelled his delivery, the batter only did a shadow practice of a sweep shot. The experienced batter then decided to give Rathi a taste of his own medicine. In the following delivery, the experienced batter hoisted the ball for a long six, and then there was an explosion of a verbal exchange, which attracted the penalties. 

At the end of the day, Rana and his team had the last laugh, as they were able to successfully do a thrilling chase of 202 and secure their place in Qualifier 2 against the East Delhi Riders. Rana played a captain's knock, guiding his team from the front by scoring 134 off 55 balls. 

West Delhi Lions won a Qualifier with a solid 7-wicket win over South Delhi Superstarz. Batting first, SDS got off to a flying start with Anmol Sharma’s 55 and Kunwar Bidhuri’s 65. Captain Tejasvi Dahiya played a fiery knock of 60 and Sumit Mathur’s quick 48 runs off 26 balls helped them post a strong 201/5. Hrithik Shokeen was the pick of the bowlers for WDL, taking 2/28.

Chasing 202, WDL lost a couple of early wickets, but captain Nitish Rana turned the game into a one-man show. He played a breathtaking knock of 134 runs off just 55 balls, smashing 13 fours and 8 sixes. Krish Yadav scored 31 and Mayank Gusain remained not out on 15 as WDL chased the target in 17.1 overs with 17 balls left. The win took West Delhi Lions to the Qualifier and ended South Delhi Superstarz’s campaign.

ALSO READ: UP T20 2025, Match 25: Noida Super Kings vs Kanpur Superstars full match highlights

Twitter reactions after West Delhi Lions won the Eliminator in DPL 2025

Nitish Rana was awarded Player of the Match for his outstanding century that sealed the victory against South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator of the Adani Delhi Premier League 2025! 🏏

Nitish Rana | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025… pic.twitter.com/smYcoPrDX1

— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 30, 2025

Nitish Rana took home the Super Sixes of the Match award against South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator of the Adani Delhi Premier League 2025! 🏏

Nitish Rana | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025 #Delhi pic.twitter.com/s0nDDxmlP9

— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 30, 2025

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

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

A knock to remember the ages! 🏏

Nitish Rana smashed the fastest hundred of the season in 42 balls against South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator of Adani Delhi Premier League 2025! ✨

Nitish Rana | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025… pic.twitter.com/8VvvvluY7n

— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 29, 2025

An outstanding batting display by Captain Nitish Rana helped West Delhi Lions secure a win against South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator. 🏏💥

Nitish Rana | West Delhi Lions | South Delhi Superstarz | #DPL #DPL2025 #AdaniDPL2025 #Delhi pic.twitter.com/khUYrmcvtL

— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 29, 2025

A heated argument and physical altercation between Nitish Rana and Digvesh Rathi occurred during the 2025 season of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The viral clip of their engagement was shared by the tournament’s social media accounts as it moved around the internet within seconds. 

The brawl during the T20 game happened after both players looked to play mind games against each other at the start of the over, after the southpaw batter looked to settle the batter by sweeping the spinner for a huge six, which burnt the fire of the players exchanging words. It didn’t go down well with the left-handed batter as he aggressively charged towards Rathi.

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

Rana’s non-striker partner and all team mates of Rathi tried to cool down the situation by pulling the individuals away from each other, as it was also a vital eliminator clash of the event between the West Delhi Lions and the South Delhi Superstarz.

Watch: Nitis Rana and Digvesh Rathi’s ugly fight video from DPL 2025 goes viral

In the do-or-die fixture for both franchises, Rana smacked Rathi for a four on the second ball of the opening over and then cracked the next three balls for successive sixes. In Rathi’s next over as well, the left-handed batter notched up another four on the second ball and two over-boundaries on the third and sixth deliveries.

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

The 25-year-old spinner from Delhi, Rathi, featured for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League and showed his incredible skills with the ball throughout the competition. During the eliminator, he ended with figures of 0/39 in his quota of two overs. Among those 39 runs, 38 were drilled by Rana alone in 11 deliveries.

During the 202-run chase, the West Delhi captain, Nitish Rana, remained unbeaten on 134 runs in just 55 deliveries at a strike rate of 243.64, thanks to eight over boundaries and 15 boundaries as they made the successful chase of the score in the second innings by seven wickets with 17 balls to spare. They have now qualified for the second qualifier fixture against the East Delhi Lions on August 30 at the same ground.

Revenge taken at the right spot. Digvesh Rathi again tasted his own medicine. This time it was Suyash Sharma who taught Rathi the lesson. 

Outer Delhi Warriors and South Delhi Superstarz were up against each other for the 22nd match of the Delhi Premiere League (DPL 2025). Suyash was playing for Outer Delhi Warriors, and Rathi was from South Delhi Superstarz. Since the IPL 2025, when Digvesh started to perform for Lucknow Super Giants, his 'notebook' celebration took the center of the stage. Being a spinner, his aggressive nature of bowling and wicket-taking celebration was something new cricket fans were then witnessing. Despite repeated controversial moments regarding his body language and notebook celebration, Rathi did not show any intention to retire his infamous gesture after clinching a batter from the crease. 

After the IPL 2025 campaign, Digvesh continues his entertaining run in the ongoing DPL 2025 too. During the 22nd match of the tournament, he took a couple of wickets against 36 runs in his 4-over quota. Keshav Dabas and Outer Delhi Warriors skipper Harsh Tyagi fell short against the spinner, and as usual, he pulled out his notebook for a celebration. 

Read More: Jitesh Sharma likely to include in Asia Cup 2025 squad: Report

Who got the last laugh?

Suyash Sharma, in the second innings of the match, took revenge by claiming two wickets of the South Delhi Superstarz. Rathi took the wicket of Outer Delhi Warriors' captain, while Sharma got the wicket of South Delhi Superstarz leader Ayush Badoni. Manish Sehrawat also was not able to stand against the spinner. Through his wicket-taking celebration, Suyash signaled tearing apart the 'notebook.' 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Delhi Premier League T20 (@delhipremierleaguet20)

Though, Rathi got the last laugh as South Delhi Superstarz won the match by 3 wickets. Tejasvi Dahiya played a match, winning 70* off 33 while chasing a target of 140. 

Tejasvi Dahiya lit up the night with a stunning unbeaten 70 off just 30 balls, guiding South Delhi Superstarz to a thrilling three-wicket win over Outer Delhi Warriors in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season 2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The rain-hit game was reduced to 16 overs a side.

Chasing 140, the Superstarz were in trouble early, losing three key batters including skipper Ayush Badoni in the first five overs. The pressure grew in the 10th over when set batter Anmol Sharma was dismissed, leaving them still more than 70 runs away with only six overs left.

That’s when Tejasvi took charge. Walking in at No. 5, he attacked from the start, sending the ball to all parts of the ground. With seven runs needed off the last two balls, he smashed a huge six and followed it with another big hit to win the match. His knock had 4 boundaries and 6 towering sixes. Sumit Kumar Beniwal added valuable runs with a quickfire 19 from seven balls.

For the Warriors, Suyash Sharma and Anshuman Hooda picked up two wickets each, while Harsh Tyagi was miserly, conceding only 15 runs in his three overs and taking one wicket.

Earlier, batting first, the Warriors couldn’t build long partnerships. Dhruv Singh top-scored with 42 off 31 balls, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes. Sanat Sangwan made a quick 26 from 14 balls, and Shivam Sharma chipped in with 21 from 14 balls towards the end. They finished on 139/8. For the Superstarz, Beniwal was the standout bowler with 3/28, while Aman Bharti kept things tight with an economical spell.

ALSO READ: CPL 2025, Match 02: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Guyana Amazon Warriors match highlights and scorecard

Unnecessary aggression again dragged Digvesh Rathi into travel during a Delhi Premier League (DPL 2025) match this season. It was a match between South Delhi Superstarz and West Delhi Lions when Rathi, as he did before during IPL 2025, pulled himself out of his delivery stride—a ploy that was used several times during IPL.

Then, when the bowler actually went to deliver, West Delhi Lions opener Ankit Kumar decided to move away. That reply from Kumar annoyed Rathi, and they engaged in a verbal spat. After the war of words, it was the batter who taught Rathi the lesson by pulling out two back-to-back huge over boundaries. Anit showed the sign 'two' to Rathi after hitting the 2nd six straightaway.

In that match, Rathi did not get any room to pull out his trademark notebook celebration, as he remained wicketless after bowling in 3 overs and conceding 33 runs with an economy rate of 11.00. On the other side, Kumar was in stunning form, scoring 96 off 46, which earned him the man of the match award. He decorated his innings with eleven 4s and six 6s. The other opener, Krish Yadav, scored 67 off 42.

Read More: 'Shubman Gill is ready to take over from Rohit Sharma as ODI captain'- former India cricketer claims big

Top 2 teams of the league 

West Delhi Lions won the match by 8 wickets, chasing a target of 186 in the second innings without any serious trouble. Batting first, South Delhi Superstarz scored 185, losing 7 wickets. With 2 wins in 2 matches, Lions positioned themselves in the second spot of the points table with a +2.326 Net Run Rate (NRR). 

Currently, Central Delhi Kings is leading the points tally with 4 points but a slightly higher NRR than the second-place holder. 

Digvesh rathi's Software updated by batsman ankit kumar after a heated exchange in Delhi premier league pic.twitter.com/XKZKJQOOoV

— Sawai96 (@Aspirant_9457) August 6, 2025

Digvesh Rathi, a fast-rising leg-spinner who has had nothing short of a spectacular rise, was at the center of Sunday's thrilling Delhi Premier League (DPL) headlines. Rathi was the second most expensive player in the tournament after being acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants for ₹30 lac in the IPL early this year and then selling for ₹38 lac.

The 22-year-old spinner was purchased by Delhi Superstarz, who look to improve their spin unit ahead of DPL Season 2. Rathi’s consistency and ability to thrive under pressure certainly led to plenty of franchises showing interest; however, it was Superstarz who were able to close the deal, which highlights the players' development in the past few months. 

Rathi’s journey is indicative of the domestic cricket landscape evolving in India, where local leagues like the DPL are bridging their players' development, opportunities to be noticed, and opportunities to be paid for their skills. The hike in auction price by Rathi from being valued at ₹30 lac in the best T20 league in the world compared to the regional tournament where he was worth ₹38 lac, indicates how highly he is rated across all formats.

ALSO SEE: 'MS Dhoni Was An Intimidating Player' - Former South African legend sends birthday wish to 'Captain Cool'

Digvesh Rathi's Development: the Rise from ₹30 Lakh in IPL to ₹38 Lakh in DPL

Simarjeet Singh, a right-arm fast bowler, was at the top of the leaderboard overall in a very good auction for franchises with a ₹39 lakh deal to Central Delhi Kings. Other feature prospects were Prince Yadav (₹33 lakh) and Nitish Rana (₹34 lakh). But Rathi's development milestone was particularly impressive, signaling the beginning of a new phase of his young spinner's life.

After making fantastic strides in the IPL season with his variations, control, and temperament, Digvesh is now in a great position to be a major performance piece of the Delhi Superstarz's campaign. His valuation is more than just numerically important; it reflects how much higher franchises are starting to trust in high-ceiling, domestic talent.

In earning a valuation of ₹38 lakh in DPL, up from ₹30 lakh in IPL, Digvesh Rathi's development can be interpreted as a reflection of consistency, promise, and the growing opportunities in India's domestic T20 ecosystem.

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will be one of the biggest names at the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season 2 auction, set to take place on July 6 and 7 in New Delhi. The auction will feature over 10 well-known IPL players, including Ishant Sharma, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, and Anuj Rawat.

Pant will face strong competition from young stars like Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi, both of whom first impressed during DPL Season 1 and later went on to shine in the IPL.

Two New Teams Join the League

The DPL is also growing this year, with the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) announcing two new men’s franchises. The Outer Delhi team was picked up for ₹10.6 crore by Savita Paints Private Limited, while the New Delhi team was bought for ₹9.2 crore by a joint bid from Bheema Tolling and Crayon Advertising.

With these additions, the number of men’s teams in the league has increased from six to eight. The new teams will join existing sides:

• Central Delhi Kings
• East Delhi Riders
• North Delhi Strikers
• Purani Dilli 6
• South Delhi Superstarz
• West Delhi Lions

Auction Dates and Key Players

• Men’s auction: July 6
• Women’s auction: July 7

ALSO SEE: PSL holds key debriefing sessions as league maps out its future

Apart from Pant, several IPL and domestic stars are set to go under the hammer: Ishant Sharma, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Anuj Rawat, Simarjeet Singh, Himmat Singh, Suyash Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Yash Dhull, Nitish Rana, Hrithik Shokeen, Prince Yadav, and more.

DDCA President Rohan Jaitley said, “The Delhi Premier League is more than just a tournament, it’s a celebration of Delhi’s cricketing culture. With the new teams and returning stars, Season 2 promises to be even bigger.”

Women’s Cricket Takes Centre Stage in DPL Season 2

DDCA has also kept a strong focus on women’s cricket. Vice-President Shikha Kumar said the women’s league is growing and will continue to get equal attention and support. “We want girls across Delhi to see cricket as their game played on equal terms and celebrated just as loudly,” she said.

All matches of Season 2 will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The full match schedule will be announced after the player auctions. With top players, two new teams, and strong backing for women’s cricket, DPL Season 2 is shaping up to be a special one for fans and players alike.

Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, who made headlines with his performances for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025, has again captured the attention of the cricketing world after going viral for his unbelievable bowling achievement of taking five wickets on five consecutive balls during a local T20 league match. The clip of this rare feat circulated quickly on social media and was even shared on LSG's official page, increasing the young bowler’s popularity.

Rathi is from Delhi and had a very successful IPL 2025 season with 14 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 30.64. Though his figures were good, it was his aggressive "notebook celebration" that took the spotlight away from everything else. Mimicking a writing gesture after taking wickets, the celebration became a talking point across cricketing circles and led to penalties from match officials. Still, Rathi’s flair and talent were evident, even though LSG failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

The five-in-five performance only adds to the excitement surrounding Rathi, who appears to be generating genuine traction following the IPL. Cricket fans and analysts alike are speculating if these regular performances—in leagues and domestic tournaments—could put him on an even bigger stage, potentially a national cap.

Yograj Singh Backs Rathi’s Celebration, Urges BCCI to Go Easy

Former India cricketer Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, has spoken out in support of Rathi’s much-debated notebook celebration. Speaking to InsideSport, Yograj criticized the penalties imposed on young players for expressive gestures and urged the authorities to take a more understanding approach.

Watch the video here

DIGVESH RATHI PICKED 5 WICKETS IN 5 DELIVERIES. 🤯pic.twitter.com/zXbgmSkXnG

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 16, 2025

See Also: R Ashwin may face ban after ball-tampering allegations in TNPL

"Come on, man, don’t fine them. It’s okay. You are still friends with the bowlers. Everybody is not the same. Emotions go. Forgive them. Obviously, at the end of the day, you’re friends; if you say sorry, the matter is over. Have a big heart and don’t get into these petty things. "What is this nonsense going on, fining kids?" Yograj said passionately. As Rathi continues to thrive in local leagues, his supporters hope the BCCI and franchises give him the space to shine without curbing his personality.