North Delhi Strikers captain Sarthak Ranjan smashed an explosive 95 off 50 balls to power his side to a commanding six-wicket victory over East Delhi Riders in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) at Arun Jaitley Stadium on 6 August. Ranjan's knock — punctuated by a Novak Djokovic-inspired celebration at his half-century — was the centrepiece of a successful chase of 172, sealed with four overs to spare.

Ranjan's Match-Winning Knock

Strikers were under early pressure at 39/2 before Ranjan took charge, striking eight sixes and seven fours in a devastating display. The defining moment came in a single over off pacer Simarjeet Singh, from which Ranjan plundered 29 runs, effectively breaking the back of the chase. He fell just five runs short of a maiden T20 century, but his innings had already settled the contest.

The Djokovic Tribute

Ranjan's animated celebration upon reaching his fifty quickly went viral, and the Strikers captain was quick to explain its origin. 'I'm a huge fan of Novak Djokovic, so the celebration was just a tribute to him. I've seen him do it after his victories, and I wanted to celebrate in a similar way,' Ranjan said. Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, is known for his distinctive post-victory gestures — a cross-sport nod that added a talking point to an already memorable innings.

Partnership That Turned the Game

Ranjan credited his opening stand with Yash Bhatia as the turning point. The pair forged a 113-run partnership for the third wicket, with Bhatia absorbing pressure and finding boundaries consistently. 'Once Yash Bhatia came in, things became easier. He took a lot of pressure off me by finding the boundaries regularly. We just focused on building the innings and knew that one big over would eventually come,' Ranjan said.

Bhatia finished the job in style, remaining unbeaten on 53 off 34 balls, hitting seven fours and a six to complete the chase alongside the tail.

East Delhi Riders' Total and Bowling Highlights

East Delhi Riders had posted 171/6 in their 20 overs, anchored by a gritty unbeaten 82 off 50 balls from left-hander Sujal Singh, who struck six fours and four sixes while wickets tumbled around him. For Strikers with the ball, medium-pacer Vikas Dixit was the standout, returning economical figures of 1 for 19 in his four overs.

What This Win Means for Strikers

For Ranjan, the result carried personal significance beyond the scorecard. 'It feels great to win, especially because this is my first victory as captain,' he said. The win lifts North Delhi Strikers' confidence in the ongoing DPL campaign, with the Ranjan-Bhatia combination emerging as a potent middle-order axis to watch in the matches ahead.