WATCH: Rishabh Pant smashes David Willey for five consecutive fours in a series-clinching show
Rishabh Pant produced a series defining show in a decider yet again, this time in the ODI format, smashing an unbeaten 125 off 113 against England at Old Trafford on Sunday to seal a 2-1 series win for the visitors.
Pant walked in to bat at the fall of skipper Rohit Sharmaβs wicket on the last ball of the fifth over, and India would soon be down at 38/3, and later 72/4, with Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav dismissed in a run-chase of 260.
The left-hander then added 133 for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya (71 off 55), the latter playing the aggressor for a major part of the stand with 10 hits to the fence.
Pant, whoβs first 50 runs came off 71 balls, unleashed in the latter half as India progressed steadily towards the target. He struck an audacious six over mid-wicket off David Willey to get into the nineties not long after Hardik was dismissed, and a single off Craig Overton got him to a maiden ODI ton in his 27th appearance in the format.
The milestone was celebrated with five consecutive fours off Willey next over. It started with a flat-batted smash off a short ball downtown, followed by a pull towards mid-wicket. He then blazed a fierce drive through the extra-cover region, and a well controlled pull towards the long-leg made four in a row. The fifth ball was smashed downtown with disdain, and he retained the strike with a single off the final ball.
Pant unleashed a reverseβsweep off Joe Root on the next ball he faced, to complete Indiaβs win with five wickets and 7.5 overs to spare. He walked away with the Player of the Match award, while Hardik, whoβd returned 4/24 earlier in the day, was adjudged the Player of the Series.
Watch Rishabh Pant smashing David Willey for five straight fours in Manchester here:
π«ππππππ ππ π«ππππππππππ π₯
β Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) July 18, 2022
For your viewing pleasure ππΌ @RishabhPant17 goes 4οΈβ£4οΈβ£4οΈβ£4οΈβ£4οΈβ£ against Willey to get #TeamIndia home at a canter π€―π₯#ENGvIND #SonySportsNetwork #SirfSonyPeDikhega pic.twitter.com/IZz5JbCGhX