Cricket is more than just a game in India—it’s a way of life. And when the Railways Cricket Team vs Delhi Cricket Team Match Scorecard in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match from January 30 to February 1, 2025, at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium, it was a spectacle that captured the hearts of thousands. With Delhi’s favorite son, Virat Kohli, returning to domestic cricket after a 12-year hiatus, the match was more than just a contest—it was a celebration of cricket, passion, and drama. Let’s dive into the story of this unforgettable game, complete with a detailed scorecard, in a way that’s easy to follow for fans of all ages.
The Stage Is Set
The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was buzzing with excitement. Over 15,000 fans packed the stands, many there to catch a glimpse of Virat Kohli, who was playing his first Ranji Trophy match since 2012. The atmosphere was electric, with chants of “Virat! Virat!” echoing through the stadium. Delhi, led by captain Ayush Badoni, won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping to exploit the early morning conditions that favored swing and seam bowling. Railways, under the leadership of Suraj Ahuja, were ready to face the challenge.
This match was part of the final round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 league stage, and while Delhi’s chances of qualifying for the knockouts were slim, they were determined to put on a show. Railways, meanwhile, were looking to end their campaign on a high note. The stage was set for a classic domestic cricket battle.
Day 1: Delhi’s Bowlers Strike Early
The first day began with Delhi’s pacers making the most of the conditions. The ball was swinging, and the pitch had just enough for the bowlers to keep the batsmen guessing. Siddhant Sharma struck early, trapping Railways’ opener Anchit Yadav lbw for 7 in just the second over. Soon after, Railways’ captain Suraj Ahuja fell for 14, caught by Shivam Sharma off Siddhant’s bowling. When Vivek Singh was bowled for a duck by Navdeep Saini, Railways were reeling at 21/3.
But Railways fought back. Upendra Yadav, their wicketkeeper-batsman, played a gritty innings, anchoring the middle order with a well-crafted 95 off 177 balls, including 10 fours and a six. He found support in Karn Sharma, the experienced all-rounder, who scored a steady 50 off 105 balls. Their 104-run partnership for the sixth wicket gave Railways some stability. However, Delhi’s bowlers, led by Sumit Mathur (3/20) and Navdeep Saini (3/62), kept chipping away. By the end of the day, Railways were bowled out for 241 in 67.4 overs.
Delhi’s response began cautiously. They lost opener Arpit Rana early for 8, but Yash Dhull (17*) and Sanat Sangwan (9*) saw them through to stumps at 41/1, trailing by 200 runs. The crowd, eagerly awaiting Virat Kohli’s appearance at the crease, would have to wait another day.
Day 2: Delhi Take Control
Day 2 was the Virat Kohli show—at least for the fans. When he walked out to bat at No. 3, the stadium erupted. But the excitement was short-lived. Railways’ pacer Himanshu Sangwan, a senior ticket collector at New Delhi Railway Station, bowled a peach of a delivery that swung in and sent Kohli’s off stump cartwheeling. Kohli, attempting an expansive drive, was out for just 6 off 15 balls. The crowd fell silent, but Delhi’s resolve didn’t waver.
Skipper Ayush Badoni took charge, playing a captain’s knock of 99 off just 77 balls, falling agonizingly short of a century. His aggressive batting, laced with boundaries, put Railways on the back foot. Sumit Mathur played the perfect foil, scoring a patient 86 off 206 balls. Their 103-run partnership for the fourth wicket pulled Delhi out of a tricky spot at 97/4. By the close of play, Delhi were 334/7, with Mathur (78*) and Siddhant Sharma (15*) unbeaten, leading by 93 runs.
Railways’ bowlers, led by Himanshu Sangwan (4/55) and Kunal Yadav (3/104), toiled hard but couldn’t break Delhi’s momentum. The home team was firmly in control, and the stage was set for a decisive third day.
Day 3: Delhi Seal a Dominant Victory
On the final day, Delhi added 40 more runs to their overnight total, finishing their first innings at 374 all out, a commanding lead of 133 runs. Railways needed to bat out of their skin to avoid an innings defeat, but Delhi’s bowlers had other plans.
Shivam Sharma, Delhi’s off-spinner, was the star of the day. He ripped through Railways’ second innings, taking a sensational five-wicket haul (5/33). Railways lost wickets at regular intervals, with Mohammad Saif (31) and Ayan Chaudhari (30*) offering some resistance. But it wasn’t enough. Railways were bowled out for 114 in 30.5 overs, with Anchit Yadav absent hurt. Ayush Badoni fittingly took the final wicket, dismissing Kunal Yadav to wrap up the match.
Delhi won by an innings and 19 runs, a comprehensive victory that showcased their all-round strength. Sumit Mathur was named Player of the Match for his 86 runs and 3 wickets, but the team effort was what stood out. From Badoni’s aggressive batting to Shivam Sharma’s spin wizardry, Delhi were clinical in every department.
The Railways Cricket Team vs Delhi Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Breaking It Down
To make sense of this exciting match, here’s the full Railways Cricket Team vs Delhi Cricket Team Match Scorecard in a simple, easy-to-read format:
Match Details
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Teams: Railways vs. Delhi
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Competition: Ranji Trophy Elite Group D, 2024-25
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Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
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Dates: January 30 – February 1, 2025
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Result: Delhi won by an innings and 19 runs
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Player of the Match: Sumit Mathur (Delhi) – 86 runs & 3/20
Railways 1st Innings (241 all out, 67.4 overs)
|
Batsman |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Anchit Yadav |
lbw b Siddhant Sharma |
7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 77.78 |
|
Vivek Singh |
b Navdeep Saini |
0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Suraj Ahuja (c) |
c Shivam Sharma b Siddhant Sharma |
14 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 100.00 |
|
Mohammad Saif |
c Pranav Rajuvanshi b Money Grewal |
24 | 54 | 4 | 0 | 44.44 |
|
Upendra Yadav (wk) |
c Shivam Sharma b Sumit Mathur |
95 | 177 | 10 | 1 | 53.67 |
|
Bhargav Merai |
lbw b Money Grewal |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Karn Sharma |
c Yash Dhull b Navdeep Saini |
50 | 105 | 7 | 1 | 47.62 |
|
Ayan Chaudhari |
c Pranav Rajuvanshi b Sumit Mathur |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Himanshu Sangwan |
c Yash Dhull b Navdeep Saini |
11 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 64.71 |
|
Rahul Sharma |
c Pranav Rajuvanshi b Sumit Mathur |
1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
|
Kunal Yadav |
not out |
4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 57.14 |
|
Extras |
(b 4, lb 10, w 4, nb 1) |
19 | ||||
|
Total |
(67.4 overs) |
241 |
Fall of Wickets: 7/1 (Anchit Yadav, 1.3), 21/2 (Suraj Ahuja, 5.6), 21/3 (Vivek Singh, 6.1), 66/4 (Mohammad Saif, 19.3), 66/5 (Bhargav Merai, 19.4), 170/6 (Karn Sharma, 52.4), 170/7 (Ayan Chaudhari, 52.5), 229/8 (Upendra Yadav, 65.2), 240/9 (Himanshu Sangwan, 67.1), 241/10 (Rahul Sharma, 67.4)
Bowling:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Navdeep Saini |
18 | 4 | 62 | 3 | 3.44 |
|
Siddhant Sharma |
14 | 2 | 53 | 2 | 3.78 |
|
Money Grewal |
17 | 4 | 52 | 2 | 3.05 |
|
Sumit Mathur |
10.4 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 1.87 |
|
Shivam Sharma |
8 | 1 | 40 | 0 | 5.00 |
Delhi 1st Innings (374 all out, 106.4 overs)
|
Batsman |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Arpit Rana |
c Suraj Ahuja b Himanshu Sangwan |
8 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 80.00 |
|
Sanat Sangwan |
c Suraj Ahuja b Kunal Yadav |
18 | 69 | 3 | 0 | 26.08 |
|
Yash Dhull |
c Upendra Yadav b Kunal Yadav |
39 | 70 | 7 | 0 | 55.71 |
|
Virat Kohli |
b Himanshu Sangwan |
6 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 40.00 |
|
Ayush Badoni (c) |
c Upendra Yadav b Ayan Chaudhari |
99 | 77 | 14 | 2 | 128.57 |
|
Pranav Rajuvanshi (wk) |
c Suraj Ahuja b Himanshu Sangwan |
42 | 142 | 5 | 0 | 29.57 |
|
Sumit Mathur |
c Mohammad Saif b Kunal Yadav |
86 | 206 | 10 | 0 | 41.74 |
|
Shivam Sharma |
c Upendra Yadav b Himanshu Sangwan |
11 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 44.00 |
|
Siddhant Sharma |
b Karn Sharma |
20 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 36.36 |
|
Navdeep Saini |
c Suraj Ahuja b Rahul Sharma |
8 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 50.00 |
|
Money Grewal |
not out |
4 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
|
Extras |
(b 10, lb 8, w 4, nb 1) |
23 | ||||
|
Total |
(106.4 overs) |
374 |
Fall of Wickets: 11/1 (Arpit Rana, 1.6), 78/2 (Yash Dhull, 23.5), 86/3 (Virat Kohli, 27.4), 97/4 (Sanat Sangwan, 29.1), 230/5 (Ayush Badoni, 55.3), 293/6 (Pranav Rajuvanshi, 80.4), 310/7 (Shivam Sharma, 87.5), 348/8 (Siddhant Sharma, 99.6), 358/9 (Sumit Mathur, 102.3), 374/10 (Money Grewal, 106.4)
Bowling:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kunal Yadav |
29 | 5 | 104 | 3 | 3.58 |
|
Himanshu Sangwan |
25.4 | 5 | 55 | 4 | 2.14 |
|
Rahul Sharma |
17 | 3 | 60 | 1 | 3.52 |
|
Ayan Chaudhari |
15 | 2 | 66 | 1 | 4.40 |
|
Karn Sharma |
20 | 3 | 71 | 1 | 3.55 |
Railways 2nd Innings (114/9, 30.5 overs)
|
Batsman |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Anchit Yadav |
absent hurt |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Vivek Singh |
c Pranav Rajuvanshi b Shivam Sharma |
14 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 48.27 |
|
Suraj Ahuja (c) |
c Yash Dhull b Navdeep Saini |
4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 57.14 |
|
Mohammad Saif |
c Yash Dhull b Shivam Sharma |
31 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 100.00 |
|
Upendra Yadav (wk) |
c Pranav Rajuvanshi b Money Grewal |
11 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 37.93 |
|
Bhargav Merai |
lbw b Shivam Sharma |
2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
|
Karn Sharma |
c Sanat Sangwan b Shivam Sharma |
2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
|
Ayan Chaudhari |
not out |
30 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 100.00 |
|
Himanshu Sangwan |
b Shivam Sharma |
0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Rahul Sharma |
c Money Grewal b Siddhant Sharma |
9 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 36.00 |
|
Kunal Yadav |
c Money Grewal b Ayush Badoni |
0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Extras |
(b 4, lb 5, w 2) |
11 | ||||
|
Total |
(30.5 overs) |
114 |
Fall of Wickets: 1/1 (Suraj Ahuja, 1.6), 31/2 (Vivek Singh, 8.1), 56/3 (Mohammad Saif, 12.2), 57/4 (Bhargav Merai, 13.2), 76/5 (Upendra Yadav, 19.3), 80/6 (Karn Sharma, 20.5), 82/7 (Himanshu Sangwan, 22.4), 100/8 (Rahul Sharma, 28.2), 114/9 (Kunal Yadav, 30.5)
Bowling:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Navdeep Saini |
6 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 3.00 |
|
Siddhant Sharma |
6 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 4.50 |
|
Shivam Sharma |
11 | 2 | 33 | 5 | 3.00 |
|
Money Grewal |
6 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 3.16 |
|
Sumit Mathur |
1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8.00 |
|
Ayush Badoni |
0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 |
Key Moments and Performances
This match had it all—drama, excitement, and standout performances. Here are some highlights:
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Virat Kohli’s Return: Kohli’s presence was a massive draw, but his brief stay at the crease (6 runs) showed that even legends can have off days. Still, his energy in the field and interactions with fans made the match special.
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Ayush Badoni’s 99: The Delhi captain’s explosive innings was a game-changer. His aggressive approach put Railways under pressure and set the tone for Delhi’s dominance.
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Sumit Mathur’s All-Round Show: Mathur’s 86 runs and 3 wickets earned him the Player of the Match award. His calm batting and tight bowling were crucial to Delhi’s victory.
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Shivam Sharma’s Five-Fer: The off-spinner’s 5/33 in Railways’ second innings was a masterclass in spin bowling, sealing the match for Delhi.
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Upendra Yadav’s Gritty 95: Railways’ wicketkeeper-batsman showed great resilience, but it wasn’t enough to counter Delhi’s bowling attack.
The Bigger Picture
While Delhi’s victory was emphatic, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the Ranji Trophy knockouts. The team had struggled earlier in the season, and despite this win, they finished outside the qualification spots. For Railways, the loss capped a challenging campaign, but players like Upendra Yadav and Karn Sharma showed they have the talent to compete at this level.
The match also highlighted the beauty of domestic cricket. It’s a platform where young players like Ayush Badoni and Sumit Mathur can shine alongside veterans like Virat Kohli. The Arun Jaitley Stadium, filled with passionate fans, reminded everyone why the Ranji Trophy remains the heartbeat of Indian cricket.
Wrapping It Up
The Railways Cricket Team vs Delhi Cricket Team Match Scorecard was a rollercoaster of emotions. From the anticipation of Kohli’s return to Delhi’s dominant performance, it was a game that had something for everyone. The scorecard tells the story of a one-sided contest, but the real magic was in the moments—the cheers, the tension, and the sheer love for cricket. Whether you’re a young fan just learning the game or a seasoned follower, this match was a reminder of why we all love cricket. Here’s to more such battles in the Ranji Trophy!
