New Delhi, South Delhi Superstarz defeated Central Delhi Kings by seven wickets in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday to lift the title.
Chasing 183, South Delhi reached 186/3 in 18.2 overs. Anmol Sharma provided a solid start with 64 off 42 balls, while Ankit Dabas finished the chase with an unbeaten 61 off 33 balls. Captain Tejasvi Dahiya contributed a quick 33 off 18 deliveries before Ekansh Dobal sealed the victory with a six.
Dabas, who was named Player of the Match, said his approach was to first assess the team’s requirements before taking advantage of the scoring opportunities.
“When I went in to bat, my priority was assessing what the team required. If an early wicket falls, my job is to provide stability and keep one end secure. But once I realized how good the pitch was and saw scoring opportunities, I shifted gears and played my shots. I was confident we could pull off the win,” Dabas said.
He praised Dahiya’s leadership and experience, particularly his tactical decisions during the campaign.
“Tejasvi led the side exceptionally well. His bowling rotations and tactical changes at key moments were spot on. Having played in the IPL last year, he brought invaluable experience and maturity into our dressing room,” Dabas said.
Dabas also highlighted the contribution of the team’s younger players, singling out fast bowler Anshuman Hooda.
“I am thrilled with how our youngsters stepped up. We backed each other completely throughout the season. Anshuman Hooda, for instance, has been fantastic—he is one of the fastest and finest bowlers in our setup and made crucial contributions to this title,” he said.
On the importance of state-level competitions, Dabas said leagues such as the DPL provide players with an important route towards higher levels of Indian cricket.
“State leagues are creating healthy competition in Indian cricket. They all feed into the same national pathway. Winning a tournament like this requires a collective team effort—different players put their hands up in different games,” he said.
Reflecting on South Delhi’s campaign, Dabas said the team’s ability to recover from early setbacks proved important.
“Last year, we had a slow start but managed to qualify. This season as well, we dropped two or three early games and suffered setbacks. But once we found our rhythm and built momentum, we became unstoppable. The balance in our squad has been our biggest strength,” he said.
Earlier, Central Delhi Kings scored 182/8 after Samarth Singh made 51 off 27 balls and captain Jonty Sidhu added 36 off 19. Divansh Rawat was South Delhi’s most successful bowler with 3/17, while Vision Panchal claimed two wickets to restrict the Kings to a chaseable total.