Asia Cup 2025: Harshit Rana sharpens skills in Delhi Premier league

India fast bowler Harshit Rana has credited Delhi Premier League 2025 (DPL 2025) for providing much-needed practice ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. Rana has been named in India’s 15-member squad for the continental tournament, despite playing just one match in his T20I career so far.

The fast bowler has been playing for North Delhi Strikers in the DPL 2025 and is the joint third-highest wicket taker of the tournament so far. Rana has scalped 11 wickets from eight matches at an average of 19.18. The fast bowler has credited the league for providing him good practice ahead of the Asia Cup.

“It is not at all that I have become out of practice. In the last 20-25 days, I have played 12-13 T20 matches. So, my practice is completely on because DPL (Delhi Premier League) was going on, before that our team’s practice was going on. So that is a plus point for me that I am bowling well in the matches and overall performance has been good," Rana told PTI Videos.

The fast bowler also expressed excitement on the return of Jasprit Bumrah in the T20I team, mentioning how he takes the pressure away from oher teammates.

“I can’t tell you what Jassi (Jasprit Bumrah) bhai brings to the table, playing with him is really special, he makes things easy for us. If he’s around, the pressure on us is minimal. I try to stay calm, it’s always pretty exciting to wear the India jersey and playwith the kind of quality bowling unit we have right now is good. I try to give my best every time, not thinking much about the outcome,” he added.

Bumrah will mark his return to T20I team for the first time after the T20 World Cup 2024, where he was adjudged Player of the Tournament for taking 15 wickets in eight innings at an average of 8.26 and an economy of 4.17. He last featured in the five-match Test series against England, where he played three Tests and scalped 14 wickets.

Meanwhile, India will start their Asia Cup campaign on September 10 against United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Men in Blue have been placed in Group A alongside Oman, UAE and arch rivals Pakistan, whom they will face on September 14.