"No one in World Cup history has gotten 14 dismissals" - Irfan Pathan lauds Rishabh Pant's performance in 2024 T20 World Cup
Irfan Pathan has lauded Rishabh Pant for his all-round performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup. The former cricketer pointed out that the wicketkeeper-batter excelled both behind and in front of the wickets.
Pant took 13 catches and accounted for a stumping in India's title-winning run in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. The left-handed batter also amassed 171 runs at an average of 24.42 and a strike rate of 127.61 in eight innings.
During an interaction on Star Sports, Pathan was asked about his thoughts on Pant's performances in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
"First of all, let's talk about his keeping. No one in World Cup history has gotten 14 dismissals. The maximum as a wicketkeeper was 10 dismissals in a World Cup. So for him to have that kind of a World Cup as a wicketkeeper itself has been very special because some of the catches have been outstanding," he responded.
Pathan, who was the Man of the Match in the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup, added that the 26-year-old had a great tournament with the keeping gloves, barring potentially the Super 8 clash against Australia.
"Yes, he came under a lot of criticism in one game. Rohit Sharma wasn't happy but that's bound to happen. However, apart from that one game, his keeping was very special and very important," Pathan observed.
Pathan noted that Pant took a crucial catch to dismiss Imad Wasim in the Group A game against Pakistan.
"Against Pakistan also, that inside-edge catch off Arshdeep's bowling was very important because if that catch had not been taken, first ball, imagine inside edge for four, the pressure would have been on Arshdeep Singh and we might have lost that game. So his keeping was very crucial," he explained.
Pant took an excellent catch off the first ball of the final over bowled by Arshdeep Singh when the Men in Green needed 18 runs. Although Naseem Shah struck two fours off the fourth and fifth deliveries, India registered a six-run win.
"He injected that fearlessness" - Irfan Pathan on Rishabh Pant's batting
Reflecting on Rishabh Pant's batting, Irfan Pathan credited him for bringing much-needed fearlessness to the No. 3 position.
"Now let's talk about his batting. We were missing the fearlessness after losing the first wicket. We had been conservative and that is why we were staying behind in World Cups. He injected that fearlessness. Yes, we will criticize him for playing rash shots, which are not required, at times but that's his game," he elaborated.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the southpaw is an X-factor and plays modern-day cricket.
"If we have backed some of the cricketers in the past, we need to back him as well. Rishabh Pant got fearlessness to the top order, apart from Rohit Sharma. He has got that kind of X-factor to the Indian team which we all want. He plays new-age cricket," Pathan stated.
Rishabh Pant (42 off 31) was the only Indian player to score more than 20 runs in the Group A game against Pakistan. Although he failed in the semi-final and final, he played crucial knocks in the preliminary group and Super 8 stages.