New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) — Skipper Nitish Rana produced a sparkling century to guide West Delhi Lions into Qualifier 2 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 with a seven-wicket victory over South Delhi Superstarz in the Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Friday.
Chasing 202, the Lions were rocked early with two quick wickets inside the Power-play. But Rana, leading from the front, forged a decisive 97-run stand with Krish Yadav (31 off 22), stabilising the innings and tilting the momentum. While Krish fell to Aman Bharti, Rana continued in commanding fashion, mixing power with precision to anchor the chase and finish with a match-winning ton.
Earlier, the Superstarz posted 201/5 after openers Anmol Sharma and Ankur Kaushik laid the platform with a 67-run partnership. A mid-innings stutter reduced them to 78/3 before skipper Tejasvi Dahiya (60 off 33) and Sumit Mathur (48 off 26)* rebuilt the innings with a blistering 108-run stand for the fourth wicket. Their late flourish ensured a challenging total, but Rana’s brilliance overshadowed their efforts.
With this victory, the West Delhi Lions advanced to Qualifier 2, where they will face East Delhi Riders on Saturday. The winner will book a spot in the grand finale against Central Delhi Kings, promising a high-voltage climax to the tournament.
