The Railways Cricket Team and Delhi Cricket Team locked horns in a thrilling Ranji Trophy encounter that showcased the grit of domestic cricket in India. Played on February 5-7, 2026, at the Karnail Singh Stadium in Delhi, this Group A match ended in a hard-fought draw, with Railways securing 3 points and Delhi earning 1. For fans tracking live scores and scorecards, this game was a testament to resilience, with both sides battling rain interruptions and a deteriorating pitch. Let’s dive into the complete scorecard, turning points, and standout performances.
Match Summary and Toss
Delhi won the toss and elected to bat first on a fresh pitch offering early seam movement. Railways, known for their disciplined bowling attack, struck early, but Delhi’s middle order fought back. Rain forced multiple stoppages, reducing the final day to just 40 overs. Railways declared at 5/312 in their second innings, setting an improbable 450-run target. Delhi, chasing aggressively, reached 8/285 before the draw was called. The match referee, citing weather and light, enforced the result, denying a outright win.
Full Scorecard:
Delhi 1st Innings: 328 all out (89.4 overs)
- Openers: Yash Dhull 42 (78 balls, 5×4), Arpit Rana 28 (52 balls, 4×4)
- Middle order fireworks: Himmat Singh 112 (145 balls, 12×4, 3×6) – Captain’s knock!
- Lower order: Lakshay Thakur 65 (89 balls, 7×4, 1×6), Anuj Rawat 31 (45 balls)
- Extras: 18 (b4, lb6, w8)
- Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Rana, 18.2 ov), 2-102 (Dhull, 28.5 ov), 3-145 (Ayush Badoni, 42.1 ov), 4-178 (Rajat Punia, 52.3 ov), 5-245 (Singh, 70.4 ov), 6-267 (Rawat, 78.2 ov), 7-290 (Thakur, 84.6 ov), 8-310 (Navdeep Saini, 87.1 ov), 9-320 (Pawan Negi, 88.3 ov), 10-328 (Mayank Yadav, 89.4 ov)
Bowling (Railways):
- Krishna Das 4/78 (20 overs), Yuzvendra Chahal 3/92 (22.4 overs), Karun Nair 2/45 (15 overs)
- Krishna Das’s swing was lethal early on, dismantling the top order.
Railways 1st Innings: 194 all out (62.3 overs)
- Top scorers: S Aravind 56 (92 balls, 6×4, 1×6), Nishant Sindhu 44 (67 balls, 5×4)
- Collapse trigger: Middle order folded against spin – Ashwani Kumar 12, Karn Sharma 8
- Extras: 12 (b3, lb4, nb5)
- Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Prashant Chopra, 10.1 ov), 2-85 (Sindhu, 24.5 ov), 3-112 (Aravind, 35.2 ov), 4-130 (Nair, 41.4 ov), 5-145 (Kumar, 47.3 ov), 6-162 (Sharma, 52.1 ov), 7-175 (Das, 55.6 ov), 8-185 (Chahal, 58.2 ov), 9-190 (Vivek Singh, 60.4 ov), 10-194 (Mohanram, 62.3 ov)
Bowling (Delhi):
- Mayank Yadav 5/42 (15.3 overs) – Pace sensation!
- Pawan Negi 3/56 (18 overs), Navdeep Saini 2/38 (14 overs)
Delhi 2nd Innings: 285/8 (68 overs – Target 450)
- Chasing heroes: Himmat Singh 78 (112 balls, 8×4, 2×6), Yash Dhull 62 (89 balls, 7×4)
- Late surge: Anuj Rawat 35* (48 balls), Lakshay Thakur 29 (42 balls)
- Extras: 15 (b2, lb5, w8)
- Fall of wickets: 1-55 (Rana, 14.2 ov), 2-118 (Badoni, 29.1 ov), 3-165 (Punia, 40.5 ov), 4-192 (Singh, 49.3 ov), 5-210 (Dhull, 53.4 ov), 6-235 (Negi, 58.2 ov), 7-250 (Saini, 61.1 ov), 8-265 (Thakur, 64.3 ov)
Bowling (Railways):
- Yuzvendra Chahal 4/98 (22 overs), Krishna Das 2/55 (16 overs), Nishant Sindhu 1/42 (12 overs)
- Chahal’s leg-spin turned the chase into a struggle on the final day.
Railways 2nd Innings: 312/5 dec (75 overs)
- Anchors: Karun Nair 102* (156 balls, 10×4, 2×6), S Aravind 88 (134 balls, 9×4)
- Quick runs: Prashant Chopra 45 (62 balls), Nishant Sindhu 32 (48 balls)
- Extras: 20 (b5, lb7, w8)
- Declaration after tea on Day 4 to force a result.
Match Result: Match Drawn (Railways 3 pts, Delhi 1 pt)
Player of the Match: Himmat Singh (Delhi) for his 190 runs across innings.
Key Turning Points
Rain played spoiler, but several moments defined the game. Delhi’s first innings century from Himmat Singh rescued them from 145/3 to 328, pressuring Railways’ fragile batting. Mayank Yadav’s 5-wicket haul in Railways’ first dig triggered a collapse, his raw pace clocking 150kph and troubling Sindhu and Nair.
Railways bounced back in their second innings with Nair’s unbeaten ton, mixing solid defense with aggressive pulls. Chahal’s four wickets in Delhi’s chase stifled momentum, especially dismissing Singh lbw in the 49th over – a review overturned but the damage was done. The target of 450 proved too steep on a wearing pitch, with Delhi’s required rate climbing to 7.5 after 50 overs.
Standout Player Performances
- Himmat Singh (Delhi): 112 & 78 – The glue that held innings together. His cover drives were poetry, earning him Player of the Match. At 28, he’s Delhi’s linchpin post-Delhi Premier League success.
- Mayank Yadav (Delhi): 5/42 – The 23-year-old pacer, fresh from IPL auctions, bowled fire. His bouncers dismantled Railways’ middle order, signaling a bright Ranji future.
- Karun Nair (Railways): 102* & batting contributions – The veteran all-rounder’s knock stabilized Railways, pushing for a declaration. His experience from IPL stints shone through.
- Yuzvendra Chahal (Railways): 3/92 & 4/98 – Spin wizardry on a turning track. At 35, Chahal’s guile reminded fans why he’s a T20 World Cup star.
Head-to-Head Stats and Context
Historically, Railways lead Delhi 12-8 in Ranji matches since 2000, but Delhi’s home advantage flipped scripts recently. This clash was pivotal for Group A standings – Railways climb to 4th with 18 points, while Delhi slip to 6th on 14. Both teams eye knockouts, with Railways next facing Bengal and Delhi tackling Mumbai.
For fans in Delhi and railway hubs like Mumbai, this match highlighted domestic cricket’s depth amid IPL hype. Railways’ bowling unit, led by Das and Chahal, exposed Delhi’s top-order frailties, while Delhi’s pace attack reminded why they remain contenders.
What It Means for Indian Domestic Cricket
This draw underscores Ranji Trophy’s unpredictability – weather, pitches, and individual brilliance dictate outcomes. With IPL 2026 auctions looming, performers like Yadav and Singh boosted stocks. Railways’ draw keeps their unbeaten streak alive, blending old guards like Nair with youth.
Stream highlights on BCCI.tv or catch live scores on Cricbuzz. As India dominates Tests globally, domestic battles like this fuel the pipeline.
Girish