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The Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 got off to a spectacular start at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, with fans witnessing an evening full of entertainment and thrilling cricket. The night began with electrifying performances by popular singers Sukhbir Singh and Sunanda Sharma, before Purani Dilli 6 captain Anuj Rawat stole the limelight with the first century of the season against Central Delhi Kings.
Asked to bat first, Purani Dilli 6 had a poor start as they slipped to 30/3 inside the first five overs. However, skipper Rawat and Dev Lakra came to the rescue with a brilliant 132-run partnership for the fourth wicket, turning the innings around. Lakra played the perfect supporting role with a composed 53 off 37 balls, while Rawat led from the front with a sensational unbeaten 105 off just 59 deliveries, smashing 11 fours and five sixes. The left-hander reached his century in dramatic fashion after being dropped on 99, before completing the milestone on the very next ball. Their partnership helped Purani Dilli 6 recover brilliantly and post a competitive 202/4 in 20 overs. In reply, Central Delhi Kings made a flying start as openers Yash Dhull and Siddharth Joon added 65 runs in just 4.5 overs. Purani Dilli 6 finally broke the stand when Rajneesh Dadar dismissed Joon for 23 off 14 balls, with Pankaj Jaswal taking the catch. Dhull continued to dominate and stitched together another 32-run stand with Yugal Saini, who was run out for 22 off 16 balls. The Kings suffered another setback soon after as Jonty Sidhu departed for a duck, but Dhull kept the chase on track with an impressive half-century. The Central Delhi skipper eventually fell for a superb 72 off 45 balls. Pankaj Jaswal surprised him with a short delivery, and Dhull's attempted upper cut found Rajneesh Dadar at short third man. Vansh Bedi played a quick cameo of 28 off 13 balls, but his dismissal left the Kings needing a strong finish. With the pressure mounting, Keshav Dabas held his nerves and produced a crucial cameo. He struck two boundaries off the final two balls of the penultimate over to reduce the equation to just three runs from the last over. Jasvir Sehrawat then calmly hit the winning runs, guiding Central Delhi Kings to a thrilling four-wicket victory and handing them a winning start to the DPL 2026 campaign.(ANI)
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