"The ball didn't cross the boundary line because of the Indian fans' prayers" - Rishabh Pant recalls Suryakumar Yadav's 2024 T20 World Cup final catch
Team India's Rishabh Pant recently weighed in on Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catch on the boundary to dismiss David Miller in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa. As soon as Miller struck the ball, Pant thought it was surely going for a six.
South Africa needed 16 runs off the final over. With the dangerous Miller at the crease, the Proteas seemed to be in the driver's seat. On the first delivery, Hardik Pandya bowled a full toss outside the off-stump.
Miller hit a lofted shot down the ground and it initially seemed that he got a good connection. However, Suryakumar plucked out a sensational juggling catch at long-off, holding his nerves in the high-pressure situation.
The dismissal shifted the pendulum in India's favor once again, as the Rohit Sharma-led side ultimately clinched a thrilling seven-run victory. Speaking about Suryakumar's catch, here's what Pant said on Tanmay Bhat's YouTube channel (from 6:05):
"When the ball was in the air, it felt like everything was gone. When it hit the bat, it seemed like a sure-shot six. The ball didn't cross the boundary line because of the Indian fans' prayers."
It is worth mentioning that the 2024 T20 World Cup marked Rishabh Pant's comeback to international cricket after nearly 16 months. The 26-year-old was sidelined after suffering multiple injuries in a car crash in December 2022.
"We have to move on and focus on what's next" - Rishabh Pant on India's 2024 T20 World Cup triumph
In the aforementioned video, Rishabh Pant said he always dreamt of winning a World Cup for Team India. He suggested that he would always cherish the team's triumph, describing the moment as 'unbelievable.'
The southpaw, however, emphasized the importance of moving on from the 2024 T20 World Cup victory and focusing on the upcoming assignments. He said (from 5:28):
"As a cricketer, you dream of winning the World Cup. During the injury, I was thinking that I wanted to win the World Cup. To come back into the side and directly win the World Cup was an unbelievable feeling."
"I am not thinking much about it now because I feel in India, people forget after 10-15 days what you have done. So, it is important for you to forget these things as well. That moment will always be there with me, but now we have to move on and focus on what's next," he added.
Rishabh Pant will next be seen in action during India's upcoming two-match home Test series against Bangladesh, beginning on September 19. He has returned to India's Test squad after almost 20 months.