Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant on Wednesday put the dancing shoes on against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Visakhapatnam, smashing 22 runs off one Basil Thampi over to turn the game in his side’s favour.
Chasing 163 to win, Delhi was in a spot of bother after twin-strikes from Khaleel Ahmed and Rashid Khan had left Shreyas Iyer & Co, side reeling at 111/5 after 16 overs.
But Pant, unfazed by the fall of wickets at the other end, went hammer and tongs in the 1🐼8th over♒ bowled by Thampi. The 21-year-old began by smashing a full delivery down the ground for four before launching a slower delivery over deep mid-wicket for six. He followed it up with another four and a six to snatch the game from Sunrisers.
“If you are set, you have to finish it for your team. Next time, I will try to finish it for my team as I got very close tonight. I just try to be positive,” Pant said after the match.
“In T20s, you have to have a big over. We practise everyday with the same set of bowlers and we see the ball and not the bowler. Today, I didn’t try to hit it too hard and focused on timing.”
Earlier, a total of 139 runs were scored by Martin Guptil🅰l (36), Manish Pandey (30), Kane Williamson (28), Vijay Shankar (25) and Mohammad Nabi (20) as the rest of the batsmen were dismissed in single figures. As many as 10 extras were conceded by the DC bowlers as SRH finished at 162/8.
Now, with DC setting up the Qualifier 2 clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday, here is how Twitt🃏er responded.
What a match. What a tournament is. Well played Delhi and exceptional knock from – The gamechanger
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Absolu♊tely insane from Pant to hole out 🐽like that with victory just a few runs away. Such self indulgence can prove costly in this match. Also sends wrong signal to selectors
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
How is not in India’s Wcup squad?!!! Heck of a talent…& game changer of serious note! 👊🏻💥👏
— Danny Morrison (@SteelyDan66)
How is not in the World Cup squad …… Pretty sure still have time to change …….. !!!!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
👀🔥👀🔥 wow!!!! Absolute superstar
— Sam Billings (@sambillings)
Am firmly now in the Rishabh Pant fan club.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar)
so the three teams that finished on 18 points each after the group stage remain alive in the tournament…
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75)
You can fret over throwing it away with victory in sight but ch🧸ew on this: isn’t it 4th game he’s won from a very difficult situation for this season. Should have been on th𒈔e plane to UK
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73)
Great…Anth Bhala toh sab Bhala…DC sneaks through at the end…Rishab got to mature fast…congratulations dada n his boys…
— Samip Rajguru (@samiprajguru)
Why do it easy when tough is possible!!!! are throuꦍgh. But not without raising heartbeats. Well done 👍 the three best teams of the are the last three standing.
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
A young side has produced the goods consistently this year ,well deserved to play the 2nd qualifier …
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath)
Bowling Thampi in 17th over leaving khaꦬleel turned out to be costly. DC make it to the qualifiers 2 for the first time in . What a season it has been for the youngest IPL team.
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath)
