KKR player hailed by opponent captain amid excellent form in Delhi Premier League

Kolkata Knight Riders player Sarthak Ranjan earned high praise from Central Delhi Kings captain Yash Dhull despite North Delhi Strikers suffering a heavy eight-wicket defeat in Match 28 of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

Dhull, who led Central Delhi’s sensational run chase with a blistering 69 off just 24 balls, spoke highly of Sarthak after the match, highlighting the North Delhi captain’s character and earning him respect despite the fierce competition on the field.

“Sarthak is a very good person. We celebrated, but he is a good person and I respect him a lot,” Dhull said.

Sarthak, who is part of the KKR setup, has been making his presence felt in domestic cricket and continues to be a top player in the DPL.

The praise came after Central Delhi produced a dominant performance to chase down North Delhi’s 150/9 in just 9.3 overs. Dhull and opening partner Siddharth Joon completely dismantled the bowling attack, putting together a remarkable 140-run opening stand from only 45 deliveries.

Joon smashed 76 off 24 balls, including six fours and eight sixes, while Dhull’s 69 came off the same number of deliveries, featuring nine boundaries and four sixes. Central Delhi raced to 112 in the six-over powerplay before completing the chase with 63 balls to spare.

“Our plan was to give a good start to the team in the powerplay because a 150-run match can change anytime. I was also feeling good from the bat, so this was our plan,” Dhull added.

He also explained why Central Delhi chose to attack from the outset rather than allow the conditions to dictate their approach.

“The wicket was the same. Actually, the intent was a little different. I think we came with a positive intent that we will go and express ourselves.”

Sarthak Ranjan, the North Delhi skipper, has been in excellent form this season. He has so far amassed 350 runs in the competition, sitting 2nd in the run scorers table, only to be bettered by Dhull who has scored 410 runs. Sarthak also had scored fife consecutive fifties in the DPL this season, which ended in their match against the Central Delhi side on Sunday.