NEW DELHI: The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-final witnessed a fiery moment as former Delhi player Nitish Rana, now playing for Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi skipper Ayush Badoni were involved in a heated exchange on the field in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
The verbal confrontation escalated during the match, drawing attention from players and umpires alike. Both cricketers, known for their competitive spirit, seemed unwilling to back down, adding drama to the high-stakes encounter.
Notably, Rana has a history of verbal duels with statemates, including an altercation with Mumbai Indians’ Hrithik Shokeen during IPL 2023. The incident occurred at the Wankhede Stadium when Shokeen, a fellow Delhi cricketer, dismissed then KKR skipper Rana cheaply during the match. As Rana walked back to the dugout, Shokeen exchanged words, prompting the KKR captain to stop and turn around, responding angrily.
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After being acquired for Rs 4.20 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Rana has moved from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Although Rana had delivered steady performances for the defending IPL champions KKR since 2018 and played a vital role in their achievements, the team opted neither to retain him nor bid for him actively during the auction proceedings.
While Lucknow Super Giants retained rising star Badoni for Rs 4 crore, as an uncapped player, ahead of the auction.