The Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 is delivering high-octane cricket right out of the gate, with teams putting everything on the line early in the tournament. On August 3, during the sixth match between Purani Dilli 6 and West Delhi Lions, fans witnessed the rekindling of one of the league’s most dramatic personal rivalries. Speedster Digvesh Rathi of Purani Dilli 6 and star batter Nitish Rana of West Delhi Lions squared off almost a year after their explosive confrontation in the 2025 Eliminator. This time, however, the script was rewritten entirely in Rathi’s favour.
Digvesh Rathi turns the tables on Nitish Rana after their controversial DPL 2025 fight in 2026
Batting first, West Delhi Lions were looking to set a formidable total, but Nitish Rana’s stay at the crease was cut short before he could make an impact. Facing Rathi on the penultimate delivery of the 11th over, Rana was dismissed for just 3 runs off 4 balls.
Rathi delivered a 91.7 kmph fuller-length ball pitching on the off-stump line. Attempting an aggressive counter, Rana switched his stance to execute a reverse sweep. He missed the ball completely, and it struck his front pad. After the on-field decision went upstairs, UltraEdge confirmed a flat line, while ball-tracking showed the ball hitting the stumps.
Interestingly, Rathi, who became famous for his fierce “notebook” send-off to intimidate departing batters—chose a surprisingly calm and understated approach. Instead of unleashing his signature animated celebration, he casually celebrated with his teammates, allowing his bowling performance to speak for itself as Rana walked back to the pavilion.
West Delhi Lions posted a target of 180, which Purani Dilli 6 chased down comfortably in 17.5 overs behind strong batting displays from Dev Lakra, Anuj Rawat, and Lalit Yadav. While the seven-wicket victory earned Purani Dilli 6 crucial tournament points, the headline moment remained Rathi’s subtle, satisfying redemption.
Here’s the video:
The Greatest Rivalry , But This Time the Scene Was Completely Different. 😂🔥
If there’s one rivalry that stands out among Indian players, it’s Nitish Rana vs Digvesh Rathi.
The two faced each other once again in the DPL, and this time Digvesh Rathi came out on top.
But there… pic.twitter.com/oe6Jv43o6T
— Jara (@JARA_Memer) August 3, 2026
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Here’s what happened between Rana and Rathi
To understand the weight of Rathi’s composed reaction, one must look back at the chaotic DPL 2025 Eliminator. In that high-stakes match, Rathi repeatedly tried to disrupt Rana’s concentration by faking his run-up and stopping right at the crease. A composed Rana retaliated by pulling out of his stance on the next delivery, setting off an intense psychological battle.
The flashpoint occurred when Rana smashed Rathi for a towering six and mockingly mimicked the bowler’s trademark “notebook” celebration using his bat. An enraged Rathi exchanged heated verbal volleys with Rana, prompting the batter to charge toward the bowler before umpires and teammates intervened.
Rana ultimately got the ultimate upper hand that night, scoring a brilliant unbeaten 134 off 55 balls to lead his side to victory. The physical and verbal spats came at a heavy price: Rathi was fined 80% of his match fee, while Rana was docked 50% for code-of-conduct breaches. A year later, Rathi finally achieved his long-awaited closure on the field.
