India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant had a blistering IPL 2018 where made his name amongst some of the elites of the game. He played several great knocks in the tournament but his century against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi was something extraordinary.
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Pant became the second youngest player in the history of the competition to score a century. He smashed 128 runs in just 68 balls with the help of 15 boundaries and seven sixes. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled the last over of the innings, and Pant scored 26 runs in that over.
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In his last 18 balls, Pant had smashed 59 runs. The way Pant was toying with the SRH bowlers all around the park was a delight to watch, and he proved that he is a special player. Delhi managed to score 138 runs in the last 10 overs and finished their innings at 187/5.
Despite Pant’s outstanding knock, Hyderabad won the match easily by 9 wickets in the end. Batter Shikhar Dhawan was adjudged Man of the Match for his match-winning knock of 92 runs in 50 balls. Delhi could not win the game, but this innings of Pant is still remembered fondly.
Rishabh Pant’s IPL century vs SRH was once compared to Brendon McCullum’s century
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was mesmerized by Pant’s batting, and he compared it to former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum’s knock in the first match of IPL 2008. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, McCullum had scored 158 runs in just 73 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and 13 sixes.
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KKR had won the match by 140 runs against the Royal Challengers, and it gave the tournament a stunning start. Interestingly, Ganguly was KKR’s captain in that match, and he opened with McCullum as well.
“Saw McCullum in 2008.. Rishabh Pant innings right up there .. what a knock,” Sourav Ganguly had tweeted.
Ganguly has been appointed as Delhi Capitals’ Director of Cricket for IPL 2023. He was associated with the club in 2019 as well but had to step down after taking BCCI President’s role.
Rishabh Pant to miss IPL 2023
Pant is the captain of Delhi Capitals, and he was set to work with Ganguly in IPL 2023 as well, but he will not be taking part in the tournament because of a serious accident. He is still in his rehab, and there is no confirmed timeline of when he will make his return on the field.
