Rishabh Pant's top 3 knocks vs MI in the IPL
The flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant has been one of the finest prospects to come out of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
With a fearless attitude, positive intent, and a never-say-die attitude, Pant has transcended people's imaginations on many occasions. Moreover, the fighting spirit of Pant was witnessed when he made a comeback in the IPL 2024, after suffering serious injuries in a road accident in December 2022.
As the Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) face Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, let's take a look at his three finest knocks which came against them.
#3 56 off 38, IPL 2020 final
This crucial knock from Rishabh Pant came in the IPL 2020 final when the team needed the most. The Capitals were struggling at 22/3 in the fourth and needed a sensible knock to post a respectable total.
Pant and Shreyas Iyer were terrific to absorb the pressure and guide the team on the right path. Both batters scored boundaries in tandem and put MI bowlers under pressure. Pant slammed 56 off 38, while Iyer was unbeaten on 65 off 38, as DC put up 156 in their designated 20 overs.
However, Rohit Sharma (68) led MI's charge and helped them lift their fifth IPL title.
#2 64 off 44, IPL 2018
The 55th game of the IPL 2018 saw Delhi Capitals reduced to 38/2 in the fifth over. However, Pant arrived at No. 4 and enhanced the run-rate of the team with his counter-attacking. After Iyer was dismissed, Pant received support from Vijay Shankar (43*).
Both batters turned the tide towards Delhi's favor, as they stitched together a 64-run stand in around eight overs. Pant played a well-compiled knock of 64 off 44 balls, with four fours and as many sixes, to pave the way for DC to post 174. In response, MI lost the game by 11 runs.
#1 78* off 27, IPL 2019
In the third game of the 2019 season, Delhi Capitals had a disappointing start, with the dismissals of Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer. However, Colin Ingram (47) and Shikhar Dhawan (43) were sublime to steer the team at an expensive rate.
The duo stitched together an 83-run stand, before Rishabh Pant arrived at the crease. As the stage was set, it was time for the keeper-batter to continue the team's momentum. The southpaw certainly did that, as he hammered the Mumbai bowlers all around the Wankhede Stadium. Pant's one-handed shots were a treat to the onlookers in the stadium as well as on the TV sets.
It was a one-man show as Pant smashed 78* off 27 balls, with seven fours and as many sixes, which propelled DC to a mammoth score of 213. In response, Mumbai was all-out for 176, and Delhi were off to a winning start.