Seniors
A captaincy error? Delhi slip on profligate Ayush Badoni's last over
Badoni conceded 26 runs in the last over as Rajasthan romped to a win that kept their slate clean
Khurram Habib
A sports journalist for 23 years now, having written extensively on cricket, golf, Formula One among other sports. Have also manned desks, sports and otherwise.
07 Dec, 2025
New Delhi: Delhi T20 skipper Nitish Rana’s decision to give Ayush Badoni the last over of the match proved costly as the Ranji Trophy captain conceded 26 runs in the last over to let Rajasthan beat Delhi by three wickets in a crucial Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 cricket match in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
The decision was inexplicable and defied common sense. Badoni, who is a very useful bowler in longer format of the game and was a rare success for Delhi with the ball in Ranji Trophy, had conceded 14 runs in the match’s second over and 15 in the 17th over, the most expensive overs of the match besides the last one.
Rajasthan were 151/7 by the end of the 19th over and needed 25 runs in the last over. Mayank Rawat, an all-rounder himself, had bowled one over for four runs, the eighth of the innings.
Perhaps thinking that Badoni can hold his nerve – although the Sonnet boy conceded 30 runs in the DPL 2024 final to Mayank Rawat – Rana handed the ball to him.
Badoni conceded 26 as Rajasthan romped to a win that kept their slate clean. They are now second on the points table, with 24 points from six wins in six games. They are locked on points with Jharkhand but are behind them only on Net Run Rate.
Delhi have 12 points from three wins in six games and are placed third on the Elite Group D points table which Jharkhand leads.
Delhi began well with Priyansh Arya (32 off 20) and Yash Dhull (38 off 31) adding 73 for the first wicket in just over eight overs.
Nitish Rana (21 off 16), Ayush Badoni (30 off 23) and Tejasvi Dahiya (33 not out off 21) chipped in as Delhi ended at 175/5 in 20 overs.
Manav Suthar took 2/18 in four overs.
Delhi bowlers began well, not letting Rajasthan off the hook with Navdeep Saini handing Deepak Hooda a first-ball duck. But debutant Mukul Choudhary hammered unbeaten 62 off 26 balls (1x4, 7x6s) to steer Rajasthan home. He was the man who thrashed Badoni’s bowling in the last over.
Tags : Ayush Badoni, Nitish Rana, Syed Mushtaq Ali T20, Ahmedabad, T20, cricket, Mukul Choudhary
