In a surprising turn of events during the IPL 2025 match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Delhi Capitals (DC), Nitish Rana was left out of the Super Over despite playing a brilliant knock of 51 off 28 balls. RR decided to go with Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer in the Super Over, a choice that raised eyebrows, especially considering the circumstances.
Rana’s Surprise at the Decision
Rana, who had been in excellent form during the match and was in the middle until the 18th over, was overlooked for the Super Over. Despite his solid innings, the management chose Hetmyer and Parag, a decision that did not pay off. In the post-match press conference, Rana explained, “The management takes the call, not one person. The captain is there along with two other senior players and coaches. If Hetmyer had hit two sixes, no one would be asking this question.”
Rana backed the decision, acknowledging Hetmyer’s role as the team’s finisher, a position he has excelled in before. He added that the question would have been different if Hetmyer had successfully hit a couple of big shots during the Super Over.
Rajasthan’s Super Over Struggles
In a tense Super Over, RR could only manage 11 runs. Despite a no-ball boundary from Parag, the final result was not in their favor as both Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal were run out. DC, led by KL Rahul and Tristian Stubbs, chased down the target comfortably, sealing the win with two sixes in the first three balls of Sandeep Sharma’s Super Over.
Backing Sandeep Sharma and Mitchell Starc
Rana also supported the management’s decision to entrust Sandeep Sharma with the Super Over duties, instead of opting for Jofra Archer. “One person never takes such calls. The management and support staff discuss these things,” said Rana. He credited Sharma’s previous success in death overs but emphasized that cricket is a result-oriented sport, and in this case, RR was just one shot short.
Rana also praised Mitchell Starc, whose death over bowling was instrumental in restricting Rajasthan to 188-4. Starc’s precision and ability to bowl yorkers under pressure were key in holding RR back in both the regular innings and the Super Over.
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