WATCH: Ayush Badoni, Nitish Rana engage in heated exchange during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-final match

Delhi captain Ayush Badoni and Uttar Pradesh player Nitish Rana were involved in a fiery verbal exchange during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy quarter-final on Wednesday, December 11, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The altercation occurred in the first innings after Uttar Pradesh, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, chose to bowl first.

The incident happened during the third over of the match, bowled by Nitish Rana. After Ayush Badoni hit a delivery to the leg side for a single, Rana waited for Badoni at the non-striker's end and directed some harsh words toward him. The Delhi captain responded, escalating the situation into an on-field confrontation. The on-field umpire, J Madanagopal, had to step in to diffuse the tension and restore order.

Nitish Rana, recently signed by Rajasthan Royals for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), has a history of contentious moments with Delhi. Having played for the Delhi team for 12 years and even captaining them after Gautam Gambhir, Rana shifted to Uttar Pradesh following the 2023-24 domestic season. He has openly criticized the team environment in Delhi, which might explain the strained relations.

This is not the first instance of Rana being involved in an on-field tussle. During the 2023 IPL, while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Rana had a heated exchange with Mumbai Indians spinner Hrithik Shokeen, resulting in a 25% fine for his behavior.

Despite the altercation, the match continued with intensity. Rana managed to take a wicket, finishing with figures of 1-23 in his three overs. Delhi posted an impressive score of 193-3, courtesy of Ayush Badoni's 23-run cameo and Anuj Rawat's powerful fifty. In reply, Uttar Pradesh stumbled early and lost Rana cheaply for just two runs, dismissed by Badoni’s part-time off-spin. Priyam Garg, Rinku Singh, and Sameer Rizvi had the challenge of steering Uttar Pradesh’s chase in the knockout clash.