The North Delhi Strikers triumphed over the West Delhi Lions by a margin of 11 runs in the 19th match of the Delhi Premier League Season 2, held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Strikers’ success was built on a collective team performance.
West Delhi Lions faced early setbacks in their chase of 166, losing two early wickets to Vikas Dixit and captain Harshit Rana, which left them struggling at 13/2. Krish Yadav, the wicketkeeper, attempted to stabilize the innings with 23 runs off 23 balls, but the required run rate continued to climb. Hrithik Shokeen played a remarkable innings, scoring 51 runs off just 24 deliveries, which included five boundaries and three sixes, supported by a 49-run partnership. However, the Strikers regained control as Deepanshu Gulia delivered a game-changing spell, claiming three crucial wickets. Harshit Rana then bowled a tight penultimate over, restricting the Lions and ultimately ending their innings at 154/8.
Batting first, North Delhi Strikers posted a competitive total of 165/9 in their allotted 20 overs. Sarthak Ranjan provided a strong start with 42 runs off 33 balls, while Arjun Rapria injected energy into the innings with a quickfire 40 off 22 balls, featuring three fours and three sixes. Contributions from Yajas Sharma (23 off 15) and Yash Bhatia (22 off 17) kept the scoreboard moving. Yet, the Lions’ bowlers consistently took wickets, preventing the Strikers from building a larger score.
Mayank Gusain stood out for West Delhi Lions, taking three impressive wickets while conceding only 2 runs in his single over. Despite his efforts, the Lions were unable to convert the pressure into a win.