Rana guides West Delhi Lions to six-wicket Delhi Premier League title

West Delhi Lions defeated Central Delhi Kings by six wickets to lift the Delhi Premier League 2025 title at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday night, August 31, chasing down 174 with 12 balls to spare. Captain Nitish Rana anchored the run chase with an unbeaten 79 off 49 balls and was named Player of the Match as the Lions completed a convincing finish in the summit clash.

Put into bat, Central Delhi Kings recovered from a disastrous start to post 173 for 7 in their 20 overs. The Kings slumped to 78 for 6 under disciplined early bowling from West Delhi, but Yugal Saini and Pranshu Vijayran forged a matchturning seventh-wicket stand of 78. Saini scored a battling 65 off 48 deliveries while Pranshu finished unbeaten on 50 off 24, his late hitting providing the late momentum that lifted the Kings to a defendable total.

West Delhi’s chase began shakily when Simarjeet Singh and Arun Pundir struck in quick succession to leave the Lions 48 for 3 inside the fifth over, according to match reports. Rana steadied the innings, first rebuilding with Mayank Gusain in a 42-run partnership before switching gears alongside Hrithik Shokeen. Shokeen contributed a vital 42 off 27, and...