Cricket

The Delhi Premier League T20 (DPLT20) witnessed an extraordinary display of batting prowess as South Delhi Superstarz amassed a staggering 308/5 in 20 overs against North Delhi Strikers. This remarkable total shattered records and left spectators in awe.The carnage was orchestrated by Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya, who unleashed an unprecedented onslaught on the opposition bowlers. Badoni, the South Delhi skipper, smashed an unbeaten 165 off just 55 deliveries, including eight fours and ten towering sixes. His strike rate of 300 left the bowlers helpless.Not to be outdone, Arya joined an elite club of batsmen to have hit six sixes in an over in domestic T20 cricket. He plundered 120 runs off 50 balls, adorned with ten fours and an equal number of sixes, at a blistering strike rate of 240.The duo's partnership of 286 runs from 103 balls stands as the highest partnership for any wicket in T20 cricket history. Their combined efforts propelled South Delhi Superstarz to a mammoth total, making it only the second time a team has crossed the 300-run mark in a T20 match.The match also witnessed a rare feat as Arya became the first batsman to score two centuries in the ongoing DPLT20 tournament. His second century came in the 15th over, adding to his earlier ton in the competition.The South Delhi Superstarz's record-breaking performance has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. It remains to be seen whether their total will be officially ratified as the highest in T20 cricket, but it has undoubtedly etched their names in the annals of the sport.

Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant Share Heartwarming Moment in Delhi Premier League OpenerIn a heartwarming display of camaraderie, out-of-favour India batter Shikhar Dhawan and his national and state teammate Rishabh Pant shared a warm hug during the Delhi Premier League 2024 opener at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. Dhawan, the co-owner of South Delhi Superstars, and Pant, the captain of the Purani Dilli 6 team, were playing against each other in the opening game of the tournament.On the sidelines of the match, Dhawan was giving an interview to the host broadcaster when Pant, after getting dismissed for a 35 off 32, walked past him. Dhawan stopped his interview mid-way and shared a warm hug with the wicketkeeper-batter. The picture of the two players embracing has gone viral on social media, showcasing the strong bond between them despite their current cricketing situations.In the match itself, remarkable fifties from skipper Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya led the South Delhi Superstarz to a three-wicket victory over Purani Dilli 6. Arpit Rana's 59 off 41 and Vansh Bedi's 47 off 19 helped Purani Dilli 6 put up a competitive 197/3 in 20 overs, but South Delhi Superstarz chased down the target in 19.1 overs.South Delhi Superstarz began their run chase aggressively, smashing 73 runs in the Powerplay thanks to the free-flowing strokes from opener Priyansh Arya and Sarthak Ray. Arya reached his fifty off 27 balls, while Badoni struck four consecutive sixes in the 12th over to take the team's total to 140/1. However, Purani Dilli 6 fought back, claiming four wickets in quick succession to shift the momentum.Badoni (57 off 29) and Tejasvi (0 off 1) were dismissed in the 15th over, Kunwar Bidhuri (5 off 7) in the 17th over, and Sumit Mathur (9 off 10) fell in the 18th over, leaving South Delhi needing 13 runs off the last two overs. Vision Panchal and Digvesh Rathi then displayed resilience, chasing down the target with five balls to spare.Earlier, Purani Dilli 6 were invited to bat first and faced an early setback when Manjeet (13 off 8) was dismissed in the third over. Arpit Rana and Rishabh Pant then took control of the innings, guiding Purani Dilli 6 to 58/1 by the end of the powerplay. Rana reached his fifty off 37 balls, while Pant played a supporting role. The duo brought up the team's 100-run mark in the 13th over. However, Rana (59 off 41) was dismissed in the same over, and Pant followed soon after, dismissed by Kunwar Bidhuri in the 15th over after scoring 35 runs off 32 balls.With Purani Dilli 6 at 129/3 after 15 overs, Vansh Bedi and Lalit Yadav upped the tempo, adding 79 runs in 34 balls. Bedi's quickfire 47* off 19 balls and Yadav's 34* off 21 powered Purani Dilli 6 to an impressive total of 197/3 in their allotted 20 overs.