NEW DELHI: Nitish Rana has broken his silence on his on-field altercation with Digvesh Rathi during the Delhi Premier League 2025 (DPL) Eliminator at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. A video of the fiery exchange has gone viral, showing Rana having a heated conversation with Rathi before mocking the wrist-spinner’s signature celebration by imitating it on his bat after smashing him for a six.
In the Eliminator match, Nitish Rana produced a match-winning unbeaten 134 off just 55 deliveries, guiding his side to a successful chase of 202 with 17 balls remaining and seven wickets in hand.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“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," Rana said in a media interaction.
"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 say how or what happened, because that would be unfair.
"But yes, if someone pokes me or gets in my face, I’m not someone who will just sit quietly. Because this is how I’ve always played my cricket.
"If someone pokes me, and they think they’ll get me out by provoking me, then I can also hit back with sixes. What happened yesterday was an example of that,” he added.
Rana pointed out that he didn’t start the fight with Rathi, who was one of the finds of the IPL season earlier this year.
“The one who starts it, it’s in their hands to end it. I’ve been in many fights so far; it’s not like I haven’t.
"But till today, I’ve never initiated anything. Yes, if someone says something to me first, I always respond, and that’s my way,” said Rana.
"That’s how I’ve been brought up. My parents taught me that if you’re not wrong, then you should stand up for yourself, and that’s exactly what I do, and I’ll keep doing it in the future too,” he added.
Nitish Rana-led West Delhi Lions will take on Central Delhi Kings in the DPL 2025 final on Sunday.
Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment