Rishabh Pant opening batsman in T20: Team India surprised everyone by opening with Rishabh Pant in the Edgbaston T20I.
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England and India are up against each other in the 2nd T20I of the 3-match T20I series at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. England won the toss and opted to bowl first, where India made four changes to their playing eleven.
At the time of the announcement, it was looking like Virat Kohli will open the innings with Rohit Sharma, but there was a surprise opener in Rishabh Pant. Pant could not play a huge knock, but he made his intentions clear in 15-ball 26 runs knock. He was allotted the role to smash the bowlers, and he did the same.
Pant has opened for India in the junior divisions, whereas he also has opened for Delhi in the domestic circuit. Rohit played the punt of opening with Rishabh Pant against West Indies earlier this year in an ODI match.
UPDATE: Pant has opened in a couple of T20Is for India, where he has scored 26 runs in 2 innings.
Rishabh Pant opening batsman in T20
Rishabh Pant is yet to score a T20I century, but he has smashed a couple of hundreds in T20 cricket. In 2018, Rishabh Pant scored the 2nd fastest century in the history of T20 cricket, where he completed his century in just 32 balls (just behind Chris Gayle). Pant smashed 116 runs in 38 balls at a strike-rate of 305.26, courtesy of 12 sixes and 8 boundaries.
Rishabh Pant. 32-ball century against Himachal Pradesh. https://t.co/rhcSbRAoXR
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) January 13, 2021
Pant achieved this milestone while playing for Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh scored 144 runs in the first innings and Delhi achieved the target by ten wickets. Pant and Gautam Gambhir opened the innings for Delhi and Gambhir watched the innings from another end.
Pant scored his maiden IPL century as well, where he smashed 128 runs in just 63 balls, playing for Delhi against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He smashed 128 runs in just 63 balls at a strike-rate of 2013.17, courtesy of 15 boundaries and 7 sixes. Delhi managed to score 187 runs, but they lost the match by nine wickets in the end.
