After his defeat at the hands of the Durranis, Dattaji Rao Scindia retreated to Delhi and reached Sonipat on 29 December.

Najib ad-Dawlah and other Rohilla chiefs took this venture with a column of camels and small elephants, each carrying a pair of light filed guns and artillery men.

After reporting this to Dattaji, Sabaji Scindia and his men armed with swords and spears only, crossed the river on other side to confront the enemy.

Seeing their commander killed, the maratha army, demoralised and disheartened, left the battlefield in order to save their lives, having suffered over a thousand casualties.

Imad-ul-Mulk alongside the entire Mughal Bureaucracy and soldiery and the Red fort was left un-defended and the Afghans place Shah Jahan III as the new emperor of the Mughals, declaring that he's under protection by Abdali and instructed his Lieutenants not to put the emperor to any embarrassment.