Nitish Rana, former Kolkata Knight Riders captain was involved in a fiery clash as faced his former team, Delhi, in the quarterfinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The match, held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, saw a dramatic clash between Rana and Delhi’s Ayush Badoni.

Tension Unfolds Between Nitish Rana And Ayush Badoni

The heated exchange took place during the 13th over of the first innings. Badoni, who had just walked in to replace Priyansh Arya after Rana dismissed him for 44 off 31, was in for an intense battle. It all began when Rana pulled out of his delivery stride at the start of the over. On the very next ball, Badoni also stepped away from his stance as Rana ran in to bowl.

Heated Moment between Nitish Rana and Ayush Badoni in SMAT 20 Match. pic.twitter.com/4G6u9xUKKx

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How The Clash Between The Two Escalated?

Badoni played a ball down the leg side for a single as the over continued. While running to the non-striker’s end, Rana deliberately moved across the crease, blocking Badoni’s path and forcing him to slow down. This led to a fiery exchange between the two, with both players exchanging sharp words and intense stares, prompting the on-field umpire to intervene and calm the situation.

Ironic Twist: Badoni Dismisses Rana

Despite the confrontation, Rana, who was picked by Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025, was dismissed for just 2 runs off three balls by the young batter. Badoni’s team, Delhi, went on to win the match by 19 runs, securing a spot in the semifinals. Delhi will now face Madhya Pradesh, who defeated Saurashtra by six wickets, on Friday in the second semifinal.

Delhi Reached The Semi-Final

The first semifinal will see Baroda taking on Mumbai at the same venue. The final match of the tournament will also be held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.