2:45 PM IST & Local Time: What an edge-of-the-seat thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium! Delhi held their nerve in a nail-biting finish, scraping through on the very last ball to clinch the match by 6 wickets.
Nitish Rana opted to bowl first, but Tamil Nadu’s openers made Delhi regret that decision immediately. Amith Sathvik and Tushar Raheja came out firing, dealing in boundaries and racing to 62/0 in the powerplay. Their dominant partnership continued as Tamil Nadu cruised to 97/0 at the halfway mark, laying a perfect foundation for a big total. Delhi finally found relief when Prince Yadav removed Sathvik for 54, shifting a bit of momentum back their way.
Raheja kept things steady before falling for a well-constructed 72, with Suyash Sharma striking at the right time and delivering a strong spell. Tamil Nadu lost Sai Sudharsan cheaply, but late cameos from N Jagadeeshan (13 off 9) and Varun Chakaravarthy (13* off 5) ensured the finish remained strong. They closed their innings at an imposing 198/7 in 20 overs, with Prince Yadav standing out for Delhi with figures of 3/43.
Delhi began their chase on a strong note as openers Priyansh Arya and Yash Dhull capitalized on the loose deliveries early on. Arya went after Varun Chakaravarthy in the fifth over but departed soon after, dismissed by Sonu Yadav for a brisk 35 off 15 balls. Delhi reached 55/1 at the end of the powerplay. Nitish Rana then joined Yash Dhull (71 off 46), and the pair put on a steadying 58-run partnership to keep the innings on track. At the 10-over mark, Delhi were cruising at 89/1, well placed in their pursuit of 199. Rana looked to shift gears but was removed for 34 off 26 balls, with Sai Kishore providing the crucial breakthrough.
The match went right down to the wire. Ayush Badoni played a superb hand with 41 off 23 to keep Delhi in the hunt. Tamil Nadu’s bowlers fought hard as Gurjapneet Singh was tasked with defending 12 runs in the final over. With 3 needed off 2 balls, chaos unfolded—Himmat Singh couldn’t complete the first run and was nearly run out trying to return for the second, but he escaped with just a single. Now needing 2 off the final ball, Himmat held his nerve and launched a six to seal the victory. Delhi crossed the line by 6 wickets in a thrilling finish.