T20 World Cup 2022: [WATCH] “Jaake lele phir” - Rishabh Pant gives savage reply to crowd after being teased with Urvashi Rautela’s name
Team India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant gave a terse reply to the crowd who were teasing him with Bollywood actor Urvashi Rautela’s name.
Pant found himself at the center of a controversy after Rautela, in an interview with a Bollywood portal in August this year, claimed that a certain “RP” waited for hours to meet her in a hotel lobby in Delhi. Some mischief-mongers have refused to put an end to the topic since then.
A video is now going viral on social media platforms, where some members of the crowd are seen teasing Pant using the actor’s name. The keeper-batter is currently in Australia for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.
In the clip, Pant is seen walking by behind the boundary rope. Upon spotting him, a person from the crowd can be heard telling the young cricketer:
“Bhai, Urvashi bula rahi hai (Brother, Urvashi is calling).”
A visibly frustrated Pant hit back and commented:
“Jaake lele phir (Go and take then).”
After Rautela’s interview went viral, the keeper-batter put out an Insta story, terming the actor a liar. However, he soon deleted the post, which read:
“It’s funny how people lie in interviews just for some meager popularity and for hitting headlines. Sad how some people are so thirsty for fame and name. May God bless them. #merapichachorhoBehen #jhutkibhilimithotihai.”
Rautela also hit back at Pant with a Facebook post. However, in a later interview with Instant Bollywood, she seemingly apologized to the cricketer, When asked if she had a message for Pant, she replied:
“All I want to say is..umm..nothing. I am sorry."
The actor, who was also spotted during India-Pakistan Asia Cup 2022 matches in the UAE, later did a U-turn over her apology. She inexplicably claimed that the apology was for her fans.
“I would go with Pant” - Ravi Shastri on Team India’s keeper-batter for the semi-final
Team India have preferred Dinesh Karthik as the keeper-batter in the playing XI for the T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12 matches. Pant only got one game against Zimbabwe and was dismissed for three.
Despite his failure, former India coach Ravi Shastri has backed the left-hander over Karthik for the semi-final against England. Speaking to Star Sports, he opined:
"Dinesh is a lovely team player. But when it comes to a game against England or New Zealand, just seeing their attack, I think you need a robust left-hander who can turn it on, and is a match-winner and a left-hander.
"He has done well against England. He recently won a match on his win against England, a one-day game. I would go with Pant, not just because he played here, but because of the X-factor angle, he can bring to the semi-final."
India and England will lock horns in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, November 10.