The Delhi Premier League (DPL) is all set to return for its much-anticipated second edition, with the men’s tournament kicking off on August 2 and the women’s league slated to begin from August 17. The month-long cricketing action in Delhi promises bigger crowds and star power, headlined by the likely availability of marquee players Rishabh Pant and Harshit Rana, who are expected to feature prominently in the tournament this year.
The tournament opener and grand opening ceremony will take place at Arun Jaitley Stadium, which will also host the final on August 31. A reserve day for the men’s final has been set for September 1.
Pant and Harshit set to play: Major boost for DPL 2025
With India’s international calendar offering a brief pause in August following the conclusion of the England Test series on August 4, the DPL is expected to witness participation from some of India’s top names, most notably Rishabh Pant and Harshit Rana. Also, there’s no clarity on the possible India tour of Sri Lanka. Pant is therefore most likely to take part.
Pant, who was retained by his franchise Purani Dilli 6, is almost certain to take the field once again in front of home fans. His presence will be a massive draw for the tournament, both in terms of crowd engagement and competition. The southpaw will be free of international duty after the India-England Test series concludes. However, he is bound to take a short break once the hectic five-match series gets over.
Meanwhile, Harshit Rana, who made headlines during the auction season, has been named captain of North Delhi Strikers. The fiery pacer, coming off a breakout IPL season, will be leading a young squad. The likes of Priyansh Arya and Ayush Badoni will also be the regular names in the tournament, with Ishant Sharma also available this time. Nitish Rana, who switched his allegiance from UP to Delhi, was roped in for Rs 34 Lac.
DPL 2025 Schedule, Format and Teams
The men’s tournament, featuring eight teams, will run from August 2 to August 31. Teams are divided into two groups:
- Group A: Outer Delhi Warriors, Central Delhi Kings, New Delhi Tigers, North Delhi Strikers
- Group B: West Delhi Lions, East Delhi Riders, South Delhi Superstarz, Purani Dilli 6
Each team will play 10 league matches — double round-robin within their group (home & away) and single round-robin against teams in the other group. The top four sides will advance to the playoffs, following the IPL-style format of Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and Final.
The women’s league will be played between August 17 to 24, featuring four teams and a simple round-robin format, culminating in a final between the top two sides.
DPL 2025 Key Points – Format & Rules
- Men’s League Duration: August 2 to August 31 (Reserve Day: September 1)
- Women’s League Duration: August 17 to August 24
- Men’s Teams: 8 teams split into 2 groups
- Women’s Teams: 4 teams
- Men’s Matches: 40 total
- Women’s Matches: 6 league + 1 Final
- Playoff Format:
- Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2nd
- Eliminator: 3rd vs 4th
- Qualifier 2: Loser of Q1 vs Winner of Eliminator
- Final: Winner of Q1 vs Winner of Q2
Points System (Men’s & Women’s)
- Win: 2 Points
- Abandoned/No Result: 1 Point
- Tie: Decided via Super Over
- Tiebreaker: Net Run Rate (NRR)
DPL 2025 Marquee Players
| Player | Team | Price (INR Lakhs) |
|---|---|---|
| Simarjeet Singh | Central Delhi Kings | 39 |
| Nitish Rana | West Delhi Lions | 34 |
| Suyash Sharma | Outer Delhi Warriors | 15 |
| Ishant Sharma | West Delhi Lions | 13 |
| Prince Yadav | New Delhi Tigers | 33 |
| Digvesh Rathi | South Delhi Superstarz | 38 |
| Yash Dhull | Central Delhi Kings | 15 |
| Lalit Yadav | Purani Dilli 6 | 10 |
| Navdeep Saini | East Delhi Riders | 10 |
| Kuldip Yadav | North Delhi Strikers | 10 |
Full List of Retained Players for DPL 2025
| Team | Player retained |
|---|---|
| New Delhi Tigers | Himmat Singh |
| Purani Dilli 6 | Rishabh Pant |
| North Delhi Strikers | Harshit Rana |
| South Delhi Superstarz | Ayush Badoni |
| Outer Delhi Warriors | Priyansh Arya |
| East Delhi Riders | Anuj Rawat |
| West Delhi Lions | Ayush Dodeja |
| Central Delhi Kings | Jonty Sidhu |
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