Rajkumar Sharma Praises DPL Talent Development
New Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): South Delhi Superstarz secured a strong five-wicket victory over New Delhi Tigers in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026, chasing down the target of 169 with more than an over remaining at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
After the match, New Delhi Tigers head coach Rajkumar Sharma, famous for mentoring Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli during his childhood, spoke about his team’s campaign and highlighted players with potential to reach the highest level of Indian cricket. When asked which players from his squad could make it big and represent India, Sharma pointed out both established stars and rising talents.
He praised Manish Sehrawat for his excellent performance in T20 cricket, Himmat Singh as a good player, and Hrithik Shokeen as a solid performer. These players have already proven themselves and will continue to work hard. Sharma also mentioned the Under-19 boys in his squad, saying they need time to learn but will grow into match-winning players.
Sharma acknowledged the setback caused by the absence of Prince, their key strike bowler and India player, who missed the entire tournament due to injury. With only two marquee players—Himmat Singh and Prince—the team faced significant challenges after Prince’s departure.
Despite the early exit, Sharma praised DPL as a vital platform for developing talent and providing opportunities at national and IPL levels. He mentioned how last year, players like Ayush Badoni and Priyansh Arya made it to IPL, and he is confident that DPL will help more players reach higher stages in the future.
Looking ahead, Sharma emphasized that the Tigers are already planning a strong comeback for next season. The team has done a lot of introspection and needs to execute their plans well by starting preparations early. The players remain confident they will bounce back next season.
In the match, New Delhi Tigers scored 168/9 in 20 overs, with Lakshay Thareja scoring 62 off 47 balls. Revaan Rakyan and Naman Tiwari contributed valuable runs at the end. Divansh Rawat took 4/25 for South Delhi Superstarz, while Ankit Dabas delivered a tight spell of 2/16.
In reply, South Delhi Superstarz chased down the target brilliantly. Anmol Sharma laid the foundation with a half-century, Ekansh Dobal anchored the middle overs with an unbeaten 38 off 18 balls, and Ankit Dabas sealed the win by hitting three consecutive sixes in the 18th over, scoring 18 off 5 balls.