WATCH: Rishabh Pant brings out a reverse scoop on a tricky deck to seal the game
Rishabh Pant played a fantastic reverse scoop for a maximum to seal the game and hand India their maiden win in the opening encounter of the T20 World Cup 2024. It was a surprise shot from Pant, for the bowlers didn’t look to have expected him to play such a shot.
Chasing 97, India lost Virat Kohli early, but the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and the wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant weaved a prudent partnership. The duo steadied the ship and made sure India are well ahead in the chase.
The track wasn’t easy to bat on, for it had uneven bounce and was sluggish, with the outfield slow like anything. Even a target of 97 wasn’t as smooth and a few more runs could have made this game more interesting.
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Thankfully, Rohit and Rishabh showed their class and unleashed their best game to navigate through the troubles coming their way. Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt, showing the demons in the track, but he did his job before going off.
Rishabh Pant plays a reverse scoop to end the game
With only six runs required to win, Rishabh Pant brought an unorthodox shot to entertain the fans and seal the game. Barry McCarthy bowled a length delivery outside off to Rishabh Pant, who brought a reverse scoop.
Pant connected it sweetly from the middle of the bat and placed it right over the wicketkeeper’s head for a maximum to end the game. It was not an easy shot to play, especially when the track was behaving so weirdly and also injured a few batters.
Pant earlier sustained a blow on his body due to the uneven bounce on the track and looked to be so done with the uncharacteristic nature of the pitch. So, he decided to bring something unconventional out of his repertoire in a bid to do something different.
It worked perfectly for him and the team as India got two valuable points and were off to a winning start. They will now face their arch-rivals Pakistan in their next fixture at the same venue on June 9.
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