It was a heartwarming sight for Indian cricket fans to watch Rishabh Pant play against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in New York last night. About 18 months ago, when Pant was involved in a road accident that nearly took his life, no one knew if he would ever walk again, let alone play cricket. However, his dedication, passion and commitment to the sport and his comeback is a true embodiment of never giving up.
Against Pakistan, Pant made a spectacular comeback. He took every opportunity, batted with all his might and batted on the edge. You’ve heard the expression ‘living on the edge’ but for Pant, risk is an integral part of batting. Pant’s risky innings of 42 off 31 balls – in which he chased down Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Mohammed Amir and Naseem Shah – proved the difference as India beat Pakistan by six runs in a low-scoring thriller.
Pant’s story is one that will live on forever and there is no one better to tell the tale of Indian cricket’s greatest comeback than Ravi Shastri. After India’s six-wicket victory over Pakistan, the former coach walked into the Indian dressing room to present Pant with his fielding medal for taking three catches and later paid a moving tribute to the 26-year-old.
“I was in tears when I read about his accident and then when I saw him in the hospital the situation was even worse. And it is heartwarming that he has come back from there, is back in the A-zone and is playing in one of the biggest matches of all time – India vs Pakistan,” Shastri said.
“Your batting… we all knew your ability, your X-factor but your wicketkeeping and range of motion, how quickly you recovered after surgery, is testament to how hard you’ve worked. And not just for yourself, but to be able to emerge victorious from the brink of adversity and death is an inspiration to millions around the world. Well done, fantastic. Keep up the good work and keep going. Enjoy, guys. Well played today.”
Watch Ravi Shastri’s speech below:
Rishabh Pant is back to full form
Pant has been on a roll in IPL 2024, displaying some impactful batting as Delhi Capitals remain in the running to qualify for the playoffs. Called into the team, he scored 53 against Bangladesh in India’s only warm-up match before hitting a brilliant 36 not out against Ireland in the lead-up to the league. Pant continued his good form in a tough match against Pakistan, where he launched an attacking attack on the opposition.
But as Shastri pointed out, Pant’s keeping was equally fascinating. He started off by taking a running catch backwards to get Fakhar Zaman out, balancing himself against a blow to the helmet. Soon after, Pant took a regulation catch to get Shadab Khan out, but his best performance of the match was a diving catch low to get Imad Wasim out. An inside edge flew off the bat and Pant caught it under with superb control. With his superb touch with the bat and flawless movement and performance in keeping, it’s no exaggeration to say that Pant has all but sealed his place as wicketkeeper, at least for the T20 World Cup.
