Despite being RR’s top performer with the bat, Nitish Rana stood by the management’s call to send Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer for the Super Over. RR’s decisions in the key clash sparked criticism after DC clinched a tense win. RR’s decision didn’t turn out well as DC’s Mitchell Starc nailed yorkers and used the reverse swing to his advantage to cramp Shimron Hetmyer for room to start the Super Over with a dot delivery.
Nitish Rana has broken his silence on his omission from the Super Over as the Rajasthan Royals lost a thriller to the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League 2025 on Wednesday. The decision not to pick in-form Nitish Rana for the Super Over has led to massive criticism of the RR team management on social media platforms.
Nitish Rana scored a blistering 51 off just 28 balls, helping the Royals level DC’s total of 188 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Rajasthan Royals batted first in the Super Over as well, but the surprise picks from the management were Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag.
Brain fades decision cost RR the match in Super Over
With RR batting first in the Super Over, Parag and Hetmyer managed just 11 runs. Parag was run out due to a moment of complete misjudgment, and Jaiswal — who came in as the third batter — suffered the same fate on the very next ball.
Earlier in the match, Parag had scored only 8 runs before being dismissed, while Hetmyer’s finishing at the death lacked firepower — a factor that ultimately pushed the match into a Super Over.
The Royals’ decision to keep Nitish Rana and Jaiswal out of the Super Over drew sharp criticism from fans, which only intensified after Delhi Capitals’ KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs chased down the target with two balls to spare.
Nitish Rana Breaks Silence On Not Being Sent By RR For Super Over vs DC In IPL 2025
IPL 2025 witnessed its first Super Over during the Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday. DC batted first to score 188/5, later RR also managed to reach 188/4 in 20 overs. After RR wobbled a bit in middle overs, Nitish Rana’s 51 off 28 balls put them back on track.
However, the match went into Super Over after the scores were tied. Interestingly, RR sent Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Super Over. They could not even complete the six ball as they lost two wickets and scored 11. DC chased own the Super Over target of 12 runs in four balls.
Nitish Rana was asked about him being not sent for Super Over.
“The management takes the call, not one person. The captain is there along with two other senior players and coaches. If Shimron Hetmyer had hit two sixes, then you wouldn’t be asking this question. I will give the same answer. I don’t have any other answer. Whatever decisions we took was absolutely right. Hetmyer is our finisher, that everyone knows. He has delivered in the past,” Nitish Rana said in the press conference.
“One person never takes such calls. Management and support staff is there to discuss such things. If the decision was in our favour then your question would have been different. Cricket is a result-oriented sport. If Sandeep Sharma had bowled well in the Super Over, which he has done in the past. In this situation, he was most likely the bowler for us. We were one big shot less. We were targeting 15 runs in the Super Over.”
In a match that had its ebbs and flows, Delhi Capitals (DC) held their nerve to emerge victorious over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a thrilling Super Over and climb atop the points table at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
On a slow pitch, late cameos from captain Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Ashutosh Sharma rescued DC from a precarious position and enabled them to post a formidable 188/5. In reply, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana threatened to take RR to victory by smashing 51 runs each.
But Mitchell Starc’s defense of nine runs in the final over meant the game went into a Super Over, which happened for the first time in the IPL after 2022. Starc again delivered for DC in the Super Over, as RR was kept to 12. Stubbs and KL Rahul kept themselves calm to ensure DC clinched an incredible win, which was also their first victory of the ongoing season in New Delhi.
In the Super Oval, DC went ahead with Starc against Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag. The duo hit a boundary each off him, including off a no-ball, before committing a hara-kiri by being run out on successive balls and setting a target of 12 runs to win for DC. After taking two runs on the first ball, Rahul sliced Sandeep Sharma for four, before taking a single.
Stubbs then pulled Sandeep over deep mid-wicket for six to seal a thrilling win for DC, who have now won a Super Over for the fourth time in their history of being in the IPL. RR play their next game against the Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, April 19 in Jaipur.
Also Read:Â DC vs RR : Mitchell Starc Confused With RR Went With Two Lefty Batters In Super Over