‘If someone pokes me, I won’t sit quietly’ – Nitish Rana Explains Heated Clash With Digvesh Rathi
Nitish Rana defends his clash with Digvesh Rathi in DPL Eliminator, says provocation led to his fiery on-field response.
A fiery exchange between Nitish Rana and Digvesh Rathi lit up the DPL 2025 Eliminator at Arun Jaitley Stadium, where Rana’s batting brilliance stole the show.
The flashpoint came when Rana mocked Rathi’s trademark celebration after hitting him for a towering six. A video of the altercation quickly went viral, sparking debate among fans.
Speaking after the match, Rana clarified that Rathi had provoked him first.
“He was the one who started it. I won’t say how or what happened, because that would be unfair. But yes, if someone pokes me or gets in my face, I’m not someone who will just sit quietly,” Rana said.
He stressed that his response was not about aggression but about standing up for himself.
“If someone pokes me, and they think they’ll get me out by provoking me, then I can also hit back with sixes. What happened yesterday was an example of that,” he added.
Rana underlined his belief in mutual respect for the game.
“It’s not about who’s right or wrong. He came to win the match for his team, and I came to win for mine. But respecting the game of cricket is my responsibility, and it’s his as well,” he said.
On the field, Rana let his bat do most of the talking. He smashed an unbeaten 134 off just 55 balls, guiding West Delhi Lions to a successful chase of 202 with 17 balls and seven wickets in hand.
With emotions running high, Rana will now lead his side into the final against Central Delhi Kings on Sunday, where he will hope to channel his fire into another match-winning performance.
