New Delhi, Aug 6 (NationPress) East Delhi Riders triumphed over New Delhi Tigers by seven wickets in a thrilling encounter during Season 2 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.

The Riders skillfully chased down a target of 173 runs, losing only 3 wickets and finishing the match with 10 balls to spare, achieving victory in 18.2 overs. Their batting lineup exhibited both composure and aggression, effectively managing the required run rate throughout their innings.

Opener Arpit Rana was the standout performer in the chase, remaining not out on 63 runs from 44 balls, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. His performance was a lesson in pacing a run chase, starting slow and accelerating as the match progressed. Rana consistently found gaps and capitalized on any loose deliveries from the Tigers’ bowling attack. Sujal Singh contributed with a solid opening partnership, scoring 26 runs from 19 balls with 4 fours and 1 six before being caught by Keshav Dalal off Pankaj Jaswal.

Hardik Sharma played a crucial role, smashing 30 runs off just 12 balls at an impressive strike rate of 250, hitting 5 fours and 1 six before being dismissed by Himmat Singh.

Captain and wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat added 16 runs from 9 balls, maintaining momentum before falling to Himmat Singh. Mayank Rawat joined the action and finished the match in style, scoring 32 runs off 26 balls with 1 four and 3 sixes to secure the victory for East Delhi Riders.

The standout bowler for New Delhi Tigers was Himmat Singh, who took 2 wickets for 26 runs in 3 overs, dismissing both Hardik Sharma and Anuj Rawat in the middle overs. Nevertheless, his efforts could not halt the flow of runs.

Earlier, choosing to bat first, New Delhi Tigers managed to post 172 for 6 in their 20 overs. The Tigers capitalized on favorable batting conditions, as the pitch provided bounce and rewarded aggressive play. Opener Shivam Gupta laid a solid foundation with a composed 38 runs off 32 balls, supported by Dhruv Kaushik and captain Himmat Singh, who both scored 24 runs each, keeping the scoreboard ticking despite the Riders’ bowlers’ efforts.

The innings gained momentum in the death overs, highlighted by a spectacular cameo from Deepak Punia, who smashed 41 runs off just 15 balls, including 3 fours and 4 sixes, which, along with an unbeaten 31 runs from Aryan Dalal, propelled the Tigers to a competitive total.

Meanwhile, the bowling performance from the East Delhi Riders was led by Rounak Waghela, who finished with impressive figures of 3 wickets for 18 runs in his four overs. Akhil Chaudhary, Navdeep Saini, and Mayank Rawat each contributed with a wicket, although Saini was expensive, conceding 52 runs in his full quota of overs. Despite Waghela’s efforts, the Riders struggled to contain the runs in the final overs of the innings.