"The way our captain is playing has been fantastic": Mayank Dagar praises Sarthak Ranjan
New Delhi, August 12
North Delhi Strikers produced a strong all-round performance to beat West Delhi Lions by eight wickets in the Delhi Premier League 2026 on Tuesday, according to a release.
Reflecting on the win, Mayank Dagar said, "It was a very dominant win for us. We restricted them with the ball and then finished the chase comfortably."
"Our combination is very good. Everyone knows their role, and that is the most important thing in a team. The coordination between all of us has been going really well. If you look at our batting, our middle order and lower middle order haven't even had a chance to bat yet. That is a very good sign because our top order is taking responsibility and performing," he added.
Dagar also praised captain Sarthak Ranjan, who continued his fine run with the bat. "Touch wood, the way our captain is playing has been fantastic. We have played a lot of cricket together, from Under-16 and Under-19 level, so I have seen him grow as a player and as a person. He truly deserves this opportunity."
Dagar, who finished with impressive figures of 2/14 in four overs, also revealed the inspiration behind his special wicket celebration. "It was actually inspired by Paul Pogba. When I first started watching football, I saw him doing that celebration, and I really liked it. So, I decided to do the same today."
Batting first, the West Delhi Lions were restricted to 146/7 in their 20 overs after a disciplined bowling effort from the Strikers. The Lions made a steady start, adding 36 runs for the opening wicket, but the dismissal of Ankit Kumar for 10 off 10 balls triggered a collapse.
The Lions soon slipped to 59/5 as the Strikers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals. Mayank Gusain and Sombir Sheokand then put together a 68-run partnership for the sixth wicket to help their team recover, the release said.
Sheokand scored 34 off 24 balls before being dismissed, while Gusain remained unbeaten on 42 off 28 balls to take the Lions to 146/7.
Dagar was the pick of the Strikers' bowlers, returning excellent figures of 2/14 from his four overs.
Chasing 147, North Delhi Strikers got off to a flying start. Captain Sarthak Ranjan and Vaibhav Kandpal added 106 runs for the opening wicket, putting the chase firmly in control.
Ranjan scored a confident 57 off 30 balls before his dismissal, while Kandpal continued his attacking approach. He remained unbeaten on 64 off 43 balls and ensured the Strikers completed the chase without any further trouble.
North Delhi Strikers reached the target with eight wickets in hand, completing a convincing victory and continuing their strong run in the tournament.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Mayank Dagar's bowling figures of 2/14 were outstanding! And I loved the Paul Pogba celebration 😄 Shows how football and cricket cultures mix these days. But more importantly, the team coordination seems really solid — everyone knows their role, which is so crucial in T20 cricket.
Great to see the top order taking responsibility! Dagar is right — if the middle order hasn't even had to bat yet, that's a huge positive sign. The 68-run partnership between Gusain and Sheokand was the only resistance from West Delhi Lions, but the Strikers were just too strong. Excellent all-round performance! 💪
As someone who follows Indian domestic cricket closely, I'm really impressed with the depth of talent on display. Sarthak Ranjan's consistency as both captain and opener deserves recognition. The way Mayank Dagar spoke about their journey from U-16 to now shows the strong player development pipeline in Indian cricket. Fantastic match!
That's what you call a complete team performance! Vaibhav Kandpal's unbeaten 64 was brilliant, but I think the discipline with the ball deserves equal credit. Restricting them to 146 when they were 36-0 was a great comeback. The captain leading from the front with 57 is just icing on the cake. 😊🏏
Honestly, as exciting as the win is, I hope the selectors are watching these domestic performances. Sarthak Ranjan has been consistently scoring runs, and Mayank Dagar's economy rate is excellent. These are the players who should be on the radar for bigger opportunities. The future
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