DPL T20: Central Delhi Kings Crush West Delhi Lions with 10-Wicket Victory

New Delhi: The Central Delhi Kings dominated the West Delhi Lions, securing a convincing 10-wicket victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the Adani Delhi Premier League T20 on Saturday. With a target of 124 to chase, the Kings' opening pair of Dhruv Kaushik and Lakshay Thareja displayed aggressive batting skills, guiding their team to a resounding win without losing a single wicket. Their stellar performance continues their impressive run in the tournament.

Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, Central Delhi Kings’ bowlers set the tone early, restricting West Delhi Lions to 123/8 in their 20 overs. Sumit Kumar and Prince Choudhary were the standout performers with the ball, each claiming two crucial wickets and stifling the Lions’ batting lineup.

The Lions struggled to gain momentum after a poor start. Openers Ankit Kumar and Vivek Yadav were dismissed cheaply, with Ankit scoring 9 off 7 balls and Vivek managing just 3 off 9 deliveries. The early breakthroughs by Sumit Kumar put the Lions on the back foot at 33/3 by the end of the powerplay. Krish Yadav (19 off 25 balls) and Ayush Doseja (21 off 25 balls) tried to stabilize the innings with a 38-run partnership, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Captain Hrithik Shokeen was dismissed for just 4 runs, and West Delhi Lions could never recover from the pressure, posting a sub-par 123/8.

For Central Delhi Kings, Yogesh Sharma and Prince Choudhary also took two wickets apiece, with Money Grewal chipping in with one. Despite some late contributions from Tishant Pawan Dabla (27 off 29 balls) and Aryan Dalal (22 off 16 balls), the Lions could not pose a substantial challenge.

In response, Central Delhi Kings openers Dhruv Kaushik and Lakshay Thareja came out firing. Their aggressive approach saw them scoring 60/0 by the end of the powerplay. Dhruv, who top-scored with an unbeaten 68 off 52 balls, led from the front with six boundaries and two sixes. Lakshay Thareja provided solid support with 46 off 37 balls, including three boundaries and a six. The pair’s flawless partnership saw Central Delhi Kings comfortably chase down the target in 14.5 overs, sealing the win with all 10 wickets intact.

The victory further cements Central Delhi Kings’ position in the league, while West Delhi Lions face their third consecutive defeat. Despite their efforts, the Lions’ inability to post a competitive total and the Kings’ clinical performance with both bat and ball made the difference in this one-sided contest.