Rishabh Pant set to play the season opener of the inaugural Delhi Premier League T20
Indian wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant is all set to feature in the season opener of the inaugural Delhi Premier League T20. The 26-year-old will be turning out for the Purani Dilli 6 side who will be facing South Delhi Superstarz in the first match of the tournament at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, August 17.
Central Delhi Kings, North Delhi Strikers, West Delhi Lions, and East Delhi Riders are the other four teams who will compete for the title this year. A total of 33 matches will be played with the final slated to be held on Sunday, September 8. All games are scheduled to take place at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
"Being in prime shape to represent the country is Rishabh Pant's utmost priority" - a source close to the player
Rishabh Pant's appearance will be a major boost to the newly introduced league, which will also witness the likes of Ishant Sharma, Navdeep Saini, Harshit Rana, Yash Dhull, Anuj Rawat and Ayush Badoni representing their respective teams. Pant was recently in action during India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka.
While he scored 51 runs in the two T20Is he played, the southpaw managed just six runs in the only ODI he got to play in the three-match series against the hosts. Confirming Rishabh Pant's availability for the opening fixture, a source close to the player told the Times of India:
"Rishabh has agreed to play the first match of the DPLT20 as he wanted to be a part of this initiative that is likely to provide a great platform for youngsters in Delhi. He acknowledges the role played by Delhi cricket in his career. However, it’s important for him to take care of himself given there is a long Test season coming. Being in prime shape to represent the country is his utmost priority."
The source further went on to appreciate Rishabh Pant for his gesture towards Delhi Cricket despite his busy schedule. After featuring in the DPL 2024 season opener, the flamboyant batter will be plying his trade for Team B led by Abhimanyu Easwaran in the 2024 Duleep Trophy which starts on September 5.
"He will get back to red-ball training after the first match of DPL and start preparing for the long-format season starting with Duleep Trophy in the first week of September. DDCA and the Purani Delhi 6 management appreciates Rishabh’s gesture and also respects his commitments," the source added.
Rishabh Pant last played a Test match for India in December 2022 against Bangladesh in Mirpur where he scored 93 runs in the first innings. The visitors won the match by three wickets and sealed the series 2-0.