New Delhi, August 29: Central Delhi Kings stormed into the final of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 with a dominant 72 run victory over Purani Dilli 6 in Qualifier 2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Captain Jonty Sidhu delivered a masterclass with both bat and ball, smashing an unbeaten 106 off 46 balls before taking 3/25 to single handedly steer his side into the summit clash.
Reflecting on his match winning performance in a high stake knockout game, an elated Sidhu emphasized how satisfying it felt to deliver when his team was under pressure.
“I am very happy today. I contributed significantly for my team with both batting and bowling. At this stage, the team needed this kind of performance the most, so I’m glad it came at the right time,” Sidhu said after the match.
When early wickets fell and the projected score appeared below par, Sidhu and partner Aditya Bhandari executed a decisive counter-attack in the final overs to propel Central Delhi to a formidable total.
“Bhandari and I discussed that if we just stayed out there, we would find that one big over to shift momentum. That’s exactly what happened, I hit four sixes in an over, Bhandari hit two, and suddenly we were pushing close to 200,” the skipper revealed.
Elaborating on how he countered Purani Dilli 6’s death bowling strategy during his explosive century, Sidhu noted “They were trying to execute wide yorkers against me, so I anticipated where the deliveries would land. I backed myself to counter their strategy, and by God’s grace, I got clean hits.”
Known primarily as a solid red-ball batter in the Ranji Trophy, Sidhu also opened up about the dedication required to adapt his game for modern T20 cricket.
“We practice red-ball cricket in academies from childhood, but adapting to T20 took me a year or two. I’ve worked extremely hard over the last 6-7 months to develop this aspect of my game because modern cricket demands it,” he added.
He also shared the story behind his special celebration after reaching his maiden T20 hundred:
“We had planned in the hotel that if we were in a winning position, I’d do a special celebration. Manni and I originally planned it, but since Bhandari was out there with me when I completed the hundred, I did it with him. I don’t usually celebrate much, but for my first hundred in such a big match, it was necessary!”
In the match, Central Delhi Kings posted a commanding total backed by Sidhu’s 106* and Bhandari’s brisk 24* off 12 balls. In response, Purani Dilli 6 wilted under pressure, losing key batters early and slumping to 91/6. They were eventually bowled out for 146 in the chase.
Beside Sidhu’s three wicket haul, Money Grewal (2/27) and Tejas Baroka (2/19) delivered disciplined spells to complete a 72-run win. Central Delhi Kings will now face South Delhi Superstarz in the DPL 2026 Grand Finale on Sunday.
