Rajasthan Royals’ batter Nitish Rana delivered a stellar performance, scoring 81 runs off just 36 balls in the ongoing IPL 2025 match against Chennai Super Kings. Upon reaching his half-century, he marked the moment with the iconic cradle celebration on Sunday. Rana joined Rajasthan Royals from Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of IPL 2025 but struggled to make an impact in his first two matches.
However, the left-hander finally found his rhythm, registering his maiden fifty in RR colors against the five-time champions CSK in Guwahati. He reached the milestone with a boundary off Syed Khaleel Ahmed and immediately celebrated with the cradle gesture as the ball crossed the rope.
You can watch the video here:
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Cricketers have frequently used this celebration after the birth of their child, symbolizing a dedication of their achievement to the newborn. Although Rana is not yet a father, he and his wife, Saachi Marwah Rana, are expecting twins soon.
Nitish Rana isn’t the first Rajasthan Royals player to mark a milestone with a cradle celebration
While Nitish Rana is the first player to showcase a cradle-style celebration in IPL 2025, he is not the first Rajasthan Royals (RR) cricketer to do so in the league’s history. Back in 2013, Brad Hodge pulled off the celebration after guiding RR to a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs.
Hodge’s gesture was a lighthearted dig at SRH’s Darren Sammy, who had made the celebration famous during the 2013 season. Later in the tournament, Mumbai Indians’ Harbhajan Singh also imitated the gesture after playing a crucial knock. Returning to Nitish Rana’s innings, his impressive 81-run knock has put RR in a dominant position.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured a narrow victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 6 runs in their IPL 2025 match. Batting first, RR posted a total of 182 for 9, with Nitish Rana leading the charge with an impressive 81 runs off 36 balls. In response, CSK managed to score 176 for 6 in their 20 overs.
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