It was a surprise when wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was not included in the Indian squad for ICC World Cup 2019. Just a week later after the squad announcement, Pant played an excellent knock against Rajasthan Royals to raise even more questions about his absence from the national team.
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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was Delhi Capitals‘ mentor that season and he was delighted with Pant’s performance in the match. He even lifted Pant in the air with absolute delight after the southpaw’s magnificent performance at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
The Royals had 191/6 in the first innings where then-captain Ajinkya Rahane scored a brilliant century. On a ground like Jaipur, where boundaries are quite big, it was not a small total. Delhi got a brilliant start where openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan added 73 runs in just 7.2 overs. However, it was Pant’s show after that.
Sourav Ganguly Lifted Rishabh Pant After His Match Winning Knock in IPL 2019
Ganguly went on Twitter where he posted a picture of him with Pant. Shaw and then captain Shreyas Iyer were also standing nearby them. He said that Pant deserved this knock. Delhi needed 30 runs in the last three overs and Pant completed the task in just 14 balls. This win took Delhi to the top of the table.
Pant was elated after the win and he mentioned that he was feeling “lovely” to get his team over the line. This was Delhi’s first season under the ‘Delhi Capitals’ name and they exceeded every expectation in the tournament.
“I am feeling lovely, To make your team win in an important match is a good feeling,” Pant had said to Star Sports.
Rishabh Pant eventually played in ICC World Cup 2019
Pant was at his very best in IPL 2019 where he scored 488 runs at an average of 37.53, whereas his strike-rate was 162.66. He smashed three half-centuries as well. BCCI had faced a lot of backlash over Pant’s exclusion from the side.
That said, he got his opportunity in the World Cup in place of his Capitals’ teammate Dhawan who had injured his finger midway through the tournament. Pant batted in four innings where he scored 116 runs at an average of 36.
