India defeated Bangladesh in their second Super 8s stage match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The Rohit Sharma-led side defeated Bangla Tigers by 50 runs at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
After the match, Sir Viv Richards visited the Indian dressing room to interact with the Indian players and to present the medal for the best fielder of the match.
Before doing so, Richards greeted Virat Kohli and then went on to address the awestruck Indian team players. Richards specifically picked out Rishabh Pant from the group and told him that it is great to see him back after what he went through.
“Panty, It’s great to see you back man…What you would have been through, we would have missed that. Great talent and exactly what you have to offer in the future,” said Richards in a video shared by BCCI.
Pant made his India comeback after 14 months as he was involved in a near-fatal car accident in December 2022. Pant made a remarkable return to cricket and after playing the full season of IPL 2024, leading Delhi Capitals. He is currently the leading run-scorer for India in ongoing T20 World Cup.
Richards went on to praise the Indian team for their outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup. They are now the only unbeaten team in the league, since Australia lost to Afghanistan earlier today.
“What can I say to a team that is so already powerful? Man, you know you, you have a good thing going here. And I can only say this, if the guys in maroon don’t get it done, son, I’ll be backing you. Is that OK? That’s not unreasonable enough as a Caribbean person? But really good to see what you guys have here. Just great to see you guys man, and the way you’re playing your cricket man, Love it, enjoying it,” added Richards.
The best fielder medal went to Suryakumar Yadav and Sir Viv Richards was the one who presented the same to the Indian fielder. Yadav took the catch of Bangladesh opener Litton Das to claim the fielding medal.
“I think Mohammed Siraj, he set the benchmark really high on the field from game one and I’m really happy to be having this medal from the great legend Sir Vivian Richards in Antigua and we’ve been working really hard with Dilip Sir on fielding and it feels good,” said SKY on winning the medal.
Here is the video:
