Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 1: The West Delhi lions lifted the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025 trophy after defeating Central Delhi Kings by six wickets in a thrilling final at the Arun Jaitley stadium on Sunday. Skipper Nitish Rana once again led from the front, playing a match-winning knock of 79 not out to guide his team to glory.
Chasing 174, the Lions faced early pressure as Kings’ bowlers Simarjeet Singh and Arun Pundir struck quickly, reducing them to 48/3 within five overs. However, Rana steadied the innings with a crucial 42-run stand alongside Mayank Gusain (15). After Gusain’s dismissal to Tejas Baroka, Rana found strong support in Hrithik Shokeen.
The duo built an unbroken partnership, with Shokeen contributing a steady 42* off 27 balls, while Rana combined patience with aggressive stroke play to take the Lions home comfortably.
Earlier, batting first, Central Delhi Kings recovered from a shaky start to post 173/7 in their 20 overs. The top order collapsed to 78/6, but Yugal Saini (65 off 48) and Pranshu Vijayran (50* off 24) staged a remarkable comeback with a 78-run stand for the seventh wicket, lifting their side to a fighting total.
For West Delhi, Manan Bhardwaj (2/11 in 3 overs) and Shivank Vashisht (2/12 in 2 overs) impressed with the ball, while captain Rana also chipped in with one wicket for 16 runs in his four-over spell.
With this clinical performance, the West Delhi lions capped off their campaign in style to emerge champions of DPL 2025.