Rishabh Pant was at his breathtaking best in the IPL 2019 match between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Monday (April 22).
Chasing 192 to win, Delhi lost Shikhar Dhawan (54 off 27 balls) and captain Shreyas Iyer (4) in quick succession after a brisk start. With 115 needed off 67 balls, Rishabh Pant joined Prithvi Shaw at the crease. The duo batted with intent and didn’t let the scoring rate creep up. Pant and Shaw put on 84 runs for the third wicket to put DC in a commanding position.
After completing his fifty, Pant went berserk. The southpaw hit Jofra Archer for 11 runs in the penultimate over and smoked Jaydev Unadkat for a six in the second delivery of the 20th over to guide Delhi Capitals over the line with 6 wickets in hand.
Rishabh Pant finished with an unbeaten 78 not out off 36 balls, including 6 boundaries and 4 sixes as DC dethroned CSK from the top of the points table.
Speaking after the match, Pant admitted that the selection snub from India’s World Cup squad was on his mind but he backed himself to get his side home.
“I won't lie, the selection thought was running in my mind. But I focused on my process and I trusted my skills and it worked for me,” Man-of-the-Match Pant said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“To make your team win in an important match is a good feeling. The most important things for our team is that everyone needs their role,” he added.
DC skipper Shreyas Iyer was full of praise for the way both Pant and Dhawan batted to made the mockery of Rajasthan Royals’ daunting target.
“Shikhar is doing a great job in powerplay and Rishabh finished brilliantly. Ricky tells us that batsman who gets the start should bat for a long time,” Iyer said.
He also added that their home ground pitch at the Feroze Shah Kotla need to improve.
“When we play away from home wickets are so good luckily and it is perfect for our batters. We are unaware of how the wicket is going to play at our home and we are being outplayed at home,” Iyer remarked.
Delhi Capitals will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next match at Kotla on Sunday (April 28).
