Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant played yet another inspiring knock to help his team beat the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 6 wickets in their IPL 2024 match. Pant added 77 runs for the third wicket with debutant Jake Fraser-McGurk, who scored a 35-ball 55 to lead DC’s charge in the 168-run chase. Pant, who missed last season of IPL due to injuries sustained in a life-threatening car crash, gave a glimpse of his brilliant best, hitting four 4s and two 6s.

However, his reverse scoop off Marcus Stoinis was the highlight of his 41-run (24) knock. Even DC Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly couldn’t control his excitement over Pant’s audacious attempt that found the boundary.

Gangluy left his seat in the dugout and was seen standing near the boundary rope after Pant’s successfully attempted the reverse scoop.

While Pant and Fraser-McGurk’s partnership starred with the bat in DC’s second win of IPL 2024, it was spinner Kuldeep Yadav who laid the foundation with match-winning figures of 3/20.

Kuldeep was named Player of the Match.

Speaking after DC’s win, Pant said: “Relieved. Told boys we need to think like champions, keep fighting hard. There have been phases where we’ve not been upto the mark with the ball but some individuals have to take responsibility. We have to stick together as a team. Problem we had is so many injuries in the camp. With 10 teams, difficult to get players. We can either make an excuse or learn. Most probably [we’ve found our No. 3], haven’t thought a lot yet. Take it one match at a time.”

Kuldeep, who had missed a couple of games earlier in the season, said his execution was perfect.

“Wasn’t fit for a couple of games, got injured in the first game. Was difficult to see the team struggle in the middle overs. Credit to Patrick for maintaining me. All those were good wickets, when you get three in the middle overs and control the run rate as well as chasing target, it’s good. I liked the first wicket, played a lot against Pooran. Execution was right, that was a good ball. I was clear with my plan, length matters a lot as a spinner. Irrespective of format good length is good length,” Kuldeep said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Topics mentioned in this article





Source link