Over the last couple of years, Indian cricket fans and enthusiasts and even the media have enjoyed a love-hate relationship with Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals and now even Team India wicket-keeper. One of the most flamboyant cricketers of the current era, there is often criticism that Pant is careless and irresponsible at most times; let’s not forget that his inexperience shows at the best of times.
Apart from just his batting, he hasn’t been the best behind the wickets either. However, when you look at Pant’s IPL record, it isn’t bad at all. Just before the start of the IPL 2020 season, Pant has managed to amass 1,700+ runs in 54 career IPL matches! He has 11 fifties in those matches and a career strike rate of 160+ and today, we’re taking you back to when he hit a swashbuckling 128* in IPL 2018!
Pant made his debut in IPL 2016 where he scored one fifty and then in IPL 2017, he scored two. IPL 2018 turned out to be the most magical year for him as he hit 684 runs in 14 games that season, ending with 5 fifties and that top score of 128*, including an average of 50+ for the season, which is terrific for T20 cricket. That year, he finished only behind Kane Williamson on the Orange Cap list, who had 735 runs in 17 games!
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It was 10 May 2018 and Match 42 of IPL 2018 when Delhi Daredevils (last season with this name, before they rebranded to Delhi Capitals) won the toss against Sunrisers Hyderabad and elected to bat first. Having lost Prithvi Shaw, Jason Roy and captain Shreyas Iyer early, Daredevils were tottering at 43/3 in 7.4 overs when Pant decided to take this game in his own hands.
He struck a small partnership with Harshal Patel (24) who was the only other batsman who contributed to the Delhi scorecard that day. Pant managed to stay there till the end and he inflicted pain upon the SRH bowlers, smashing 67 runs in the last 4 overs of the innings, while also bringing up his maiden IPL century. Pant got there in 56 deliveries and he was visible angry about something that day, letting out a load roar when he reached the landmark!
However, he wasn’t done there. There was still an over and a half to go and though he could barely stand straight, Pant was finding the boundary with ease. He saw the ball like a football and played the most innovative shots in the game, most of which you won’t find in any batting manual. Pant developed a new scoop which gives you the impression he’s going leg side but opens the face of the bat last moment to guide it over short third man.
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He played it multiple times successfully and after Glenn Maxwell was dismissed off the first ball of the 20th over, Pant hit 4, 4, 6, 6, 6 against Bhuvneshwar Kumar to end on 128(63)* as Delhi recorded 138 runs off the last 10 overs and finished with 187/5. Pant scored a massive 68.44% of runs of that innings but IPL 2018 was a horrible one for Delhi and they couldn’t get over the line despite Pant’s heroics.
Shikhar Dhawan (92*) and Kane Williamson (83*) ensured Sunrisers got over the line with 9 wickets and 7 balls to spare, but unfortunately, Pant missed the Man of the Match award. DD ended that season at the bottom of the IPL 2018 points table with 5 wins in 14 games but it was a good season for Pant personally. For similar IPL throwbacks, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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