Nitish Rana and Digvesh Rathi Involved in Verbal Altercation During DPL Eliminator. West Delhi Lions captain Nitish Rana has addressed the verbal clash with South Delhi Superstarz spinner Digvesh Rathi during the Eliminator match of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025. Rana’s side went on to defeat Superstarz by seven wickets, advancing further in the tournament.
The match was overshadowed by controversy after a heated exchange between the two players. The incident began when Rathi hesitated at the last moment before bowling to Rana, who later mirrored the gesture. When Rathi finally delivered, Rana struck a six.
Following the shot, Nitish Rana celebrated by mimicking Rathi’s notebook celebration on his bat, which triggered the verbal confrontation. Both players exchanged harsh words before umpires and teammates intervened to restore order.
“He was the one who started it”: Nitish Rana on altercation with Digvesh Rathi
Speaking to reporters, Nitish Rana finally addressed the incident with Digvesh Rathi. The left-handed batsman clarified that he did not initiate the confrontation but added that he wouldn’t stay silent if provoked.
“It’s not about who’s right or wrong. He came to win the match for his team, and I came to win for mine. But respecting the game of cricket is my responsibility, and it’s his as well. He was the one who started it. I won’t go into the details because that wouldn’t be fair,” Rana said.
He continued, “But yes, if someone provokes me or gets in my face, I’m not the type to stay quiet. That’s how I’ve always played my cricket. If someone tries to get under my skin to get me out, I can respond with my bat—like hitting sixes. What happened yesterday was an example of that.”
Nitish Rana also stressed his stance on conflicts: “The one who starts it has the responsibility to end it. I’ve been involved in many fights before, but I’ve never initiated any. If someone says something to me first, I respond, and that’s just the way I am.”
Both players faced disciplinary action for the incident. Rana was fined 50% of his match fee, while Rathi received an 80% fine.
On the field, Rana continued to shine. He scored an unbeaten century in the Eliminator, leading West Delhi Lions to a seven-wicket victory while chasing 202. The Lions had previously defeated East Delhi Riders by eight wickets in Qualifier 2 and will now face Central Delhi Kings in the DPL 2025 final on August 31.
