Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) got the better of Gujarat Titans (GT) by four runs in a high-scoring thriller in the ongoing Indian Premier Leaugue (IPL) 2024 match on April 24 at the Arun Jaitley stadium. Rishabh Pant lived up to his reputation as a fearless batsman, smashing his way to his third fifty of the season. Rishabh Pant was on different element altogether, was on fire, scoring a blazing 88 runs in just 43 balls and winning the Player of the Match award. He saved his most explosive batting for the final over, where he bludgeoned a staggering 31 runs off Mohit Sharma's bowling. Unfortunately, one of his mighty sixes appeared to strike a cameraperson. Ever the sportsman, Pant, upon realizing this, sent a sincere apology through a heartwarming video message.
"Sorry Debashish bhai, did not intend to hit you, but I think you can recover well and good luck," Pant said in the video.
"One of the camerapersons from our BCCI Production Crew got hit during the DC vs GT match. Rishabh Pant - Delhi Capitals' captain and Player of the Match - has a special message for the cameraperson," the caption read.
Earlier, the start wasn't ideal for DC. They found themselves in a precarious situation at 15 for 3 after the powerplay. However, the arrival of Pant at the crease alongside Axar Patel, who was promoted to number 3, changed the course of the innings.
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Pant, ever since his remarkable recovery from a car accident in December 2022, played a characteristically audacious innings. He enthralled the fans with his unorthodox strokeplay, including a stunning helicopter shot off Mohit Sharma that left everyone in awe. In a whirlwind display of power hitting, Pant amassed a staggering 62 runs from his last 18 deliveries. His final over against Mohit Sharma yielded a massive 31 runs, propelling the DC total to a formidable 224. Despite a valiant effort from David Miller and Sai Sudharasan, GT fell short of the target by a narrow margin of 4 runs. Rishabh Pant is on fire in IPL 2024. He's leading the run-scoring charts for the Delhi Capitals and sits comfortably in third place for the Orange Cap with a whopping 342 runs in just nine innings. Even more impressive is his scorching strike rate of 161.32.
This comeback is a huge boost for the Delhi Capitals' playoff chances. Pant's contributions haven't been limited to batting excellence. He's also been impressive behind the stumps, solidifying his claim for a key spot in India's T20 World Cup squad. With his all-around performance, Pant is making a strong case to be a central figure in India's quest for T20 World Cup glory.
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