Rishabh Pant came to the limelight with his blistering knocks for India in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup. And soon, he was on the IPL bandwagon after the Delhi Daredevils got the local boy under their wings.
Since then, the wicketkeeper-batter has lit up the league with his batting performances, leaving everyone in awe of his unorthodox cricketing shots.
In this article, we’ll glance at Rishabh Pant’s 5 best batting performances in the IPL.
88* (43) vs Gujarat Titans | 2024
After missing out on the whole of the 2023 season due to a car accident, Rishabh Pant was raring to perform in the 2024 IPL edition.
He had scored a couple of half-centuries before the match against the Titans in Delhi. But he unleashed his best when the Delhi Capitals (DC) needed him the most.
Batting first, DC were reeling at 44 for 3 in the last over of the powerplay. Out came Pant, who forged a crucial 113-run partnership with Axar Patel and provided dazzling finishing touches.
Initially, the left-hander took his time to get going as Patel handled the proceedings. But, as the game entered the last 5 overs, he went berserk, especially against GT”s Mohit Sharma.
Pant smashed the opponent bowlers in every corner of the ground in his unorthodox batting style. Out of his 88 runs, he carted out Mohit Sharma for 62 runs in 18 balls, including 3 fours and 7 sixes.
In the last over itself, Pant scored 30 runs off Sharma’s over. After that final over flourish, he remained unbeaten on 88 runs off 43 balls, winning the Player of the Match award.
128* (63) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2018
This was yet another rescue act from Spidey Pant, as he single-handedly carried the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) against SRH. On May 10, 2018, Qila Kotla witnessed Pant demolishing Hyderabad’s bowling attack.
After electing to bat first, Delhi lost their openers in the 4th over on the score of 21. Pant came to bat in the No. 4 position and got off to a blistering start with 3 consecutive boundaries.
In the meantime, he ran out 2 of his partners, but he made up for the slipups by hammering boundaries across the park. Pant didn’t spare a single SRH bowler, taking them to the cleaners.
He brought up his maiden IPL hundred in 56 deliveries and eventually ended up with an unbeaten 128 runs. However, Pant’s herculean knock ended up on the losing side as Delhi lost to Hyderabad by 9 wickets.
78* (27) vs Mumbai Indians | 2019
This was a season opener for the Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. The Capitals were batting first and were on 112 for 3 at the end of the 13th over.
Now, the visitors needed someone to push their total with a blistering knock. And then came the man himself.
Pant didn’t waste too many balls and got off to a flyer by taking on every Mumbai bowler. He didn’t even spare their ace bowler, Jasprit Bumrah.
Meanwhile, he completed his fifty in a mere 18 balls. In the end, the keeper-batter welted 78 not out off 27 balls, with 70 runs coming via boundaries — 7 fours and 7 sixes.
Thanks to Pant’s carnage, the Capitals put up 213 runs on the board and later beat Mumbai by 37 runs.
Also Read | MI vs DC Head-to-Head in IPL History
97 (43) vs Gujarat Lions | 2017
Another whirlwind knock against a Gujarat team, although this time in a successful run chase. Delhi were chasing a huge target of 209 set by the Gujarat Lions and lost their first wicket on 24 runs.
The Delhi management sent Pant at No. 3 to provide the much-needed momentum. Pant delivered it, and how!
He got off to work with a massive six over the cover region. Then he smacked Sangwan for 3 consecutive boundaries, racing to 25 off 10.
The Delhi batter got a bit slow in the middle, but he was back again, slapping the ball towards the fence at the halfway mark. Once Delhi crossed 10 overs, Pant ran away with the game, clearing the rope with ease.
Pant was batting on 97 and looked all set to get to his maiden IPL century. But he fell short of 3 runs as he edged the ball right into the hands of the keeper.
His knock came to an end on 97 runs at a strike rate of 225.58. Nevertheless, Spidey had done his job, taking his side closer to victory.
85 (48) vs Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2018
One more heroic knock by Rishabh Pant to pull Delhi out of a precarious situation against RCB. After being asked to bat first, Delhi were in a fix at 23 for 2 in the 6th over.
The ‘Rescue Man’ came to the pitch and whacked the first ball to the boundary. Pant was pretty calm throughout the innings, punishing a few bad balls with a big hit.
As the last 5 overs kicked in, he unleashed his power, ripping apart the RCB bowling attack at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Pant was dealing in sixes and fours across the park with no respite for the bowlers.
Eventually, Pant handed out a catch to AB de Villiers in the last over, ending a brilliant knock of 85 runs off 48 balls. But his efforts went in vain as RCB won the match.
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