Indian cricket team wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant scored 35 runs off 32 balls for Old Delhi 6 in a Delhi Premier League (DPL) match against South Delhi Superstars on Saturday. While the pace of the innings was not similar to Pant’s usual approach, his struggles against spin drew a lot of criticism on social media. Pant’s innings included 4 fours and a six, but his strike rate was just 109. Pant had done well in the T20 World Cup 2024 but couldn’t play a big innings – something that fans pointed out as he was expected to score big at the top of the innings.
Before the match, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman was felicitated by Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla for his stellar performance in India’s ICC T20 World Cup triumph.
DDCA President Mr. @rohanjaitley And BCCI Vice President Mr. @shuklarajiv Rishabh Pant honoured for ICC T20 World Cup 2024 win.#AdaniDelhiPremierLeagueT20, pic.twitter.com/UnubMEU0Gf
— Delhi Premier League T20 (@DelhiPLT20) August 17, 2024
In eight innings of the competition, Pant scored 171 runs at an average of 24.42, with his best score being 42. In the challenging conditions of the Nassau County Stadium in the USA, Pant played some of the best, useful innings played by an Indian player in the tournament. He also performed brilliantly behind the stumps, taking 13 catches and 14 wickets, the most by a wicketkeeper in a single T20 World Cup.
We call Rishabh Pant a match-winner but in reality, he is a far cry from bowling in white-ball cricket.
He plays 20-30 balls almost every time but manages to score only runs and balls, which will not help any team in T20. Even 25 runs from 10 balls will be very satisfactory in this format. pic.twitter.com/tr0Q6W0AL7
– Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) August 17, 2024
The inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL) T20 was officially announced on Saturday after a grand opening ceremony held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Pant scored 24 runs off 27 balls on a flat pitch in the first match of the DPL. This is not the IPL, this is not T20I. This is a state T20 league. He has now won the T20I World Cup for India and yet he is here. He cannot play spin at all. And this is not good news for ICT.
— Kshitij Ojha (@Kshitij070) August 17, 2024
The event was a grand one, with music sensation Badshah and actress Sonam Bajwa stealing the show and keeping people on the edge of their seats.
Pant looks completely helpless in front of the spinners.
— Kaushik Kashyap (@CricKaushik_) August 17, 2024
The opening ceremony was attended by the top management of DDCA, franchise team owners, players and staff of all the participating men and women teams.
(With ANI inputs)
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