The Rishabh Pant Show In MI's Den

How many batsmen are there or you know who can hit Jasprit Bumrah with ease? You might be scratching your head and still thinking about those batsmen but let me tell you that there is probably no one or maybe a few who can do wonder against Bumrah and if you know such batsmen then add Rishabh Pant also in that list. After his knock against MI and the way he played against Bumrah, there is no doubt left why he shouldn't be in that list.

Pant has played a blinder and in that process, he took world's best bowler apart. Though he could score only 18 off 7 balls off Bumrah, the way he smashed him, speaks loud about the immense talent he has. It was all about hitting the ball and he did better than anyone else against the best in the business in the limited overs cricket.



The 21-year old has started the IPL 2019 season from where he left in 2018. He took just 27 balls to dismantle the MI's bowling in their own den. He purposefully hitting the ball out of the park with such ease and Mumbai Indians' bowlers have the no answers of his unorthodox batting. They actually couldn't do anything in the way Pant was assaulting them.

"I always bat according to the situation all the time. Today when I came in, I had to up the ante and so took my chances. It came off tonight. (On his unorthodox methods) Especially in T20, you have to do something different. Sometimes when bowlers cramp you for the room, you got to make your own room. (Whether he is ok with batting at 5) Well, glad to bat anywhere the team wants me to", Pant said in the presentation ceremony.

It is not just that Jasprit Bumrah was the only bowler who became the victim of Pant's assault. Pant's carnage started from the 15th over when he took Ben Cutting on for 4, 4, 6 before going after Hardik Pandya for 6, 4, 6 in the next over. It was looking almost impossible to stop him when he got going and a wild heave shot which he usually plays has become a trademark style of his batting.



But, as it is said that a good batsman is good when he hit a good bowler. Well, nothing could stop Pant who already gone nuts before hitting a nearly impossible shot to Bumrah who nailed the yorker with almost perfection but Pant went deep in the crease and unleashes the half-helicopter shot over deep square leg for a maximum. It was probably the shot of the evening. Even Bumrah couldn't believe that he has dispatched into the stands.

A ball's later, he got his fifty with a boundary and till, by that time, the Wankhede stadium has already witnessed one of the best T20 knocks ever. But Pant didn't stop there and took on helpless Rasikh Salam who was playing his first match, for 6, 6, 4 in the 19th over. Skipper Rohit Sharma couldn't believe what was happening out there but such was Pant's dominance that made everyone amused about his knock.

Before Indians could do anything, Pant already took his side to a massive total of 213 and later on, Capitals won the match comprehensively by 37-runs. He made 78* off just 27 balls and hit 7 fours and 7 sixes. It was a knock that made everyone fan of his aggressive style of batting.



"He is a really destructive batsman, that's the only thing I can say about him. He has matured over the years. Today, he played four dot balls early on and then just took them apart. That's where the maturity comes in. He's an amazing character to be with. Yesterday after the nets, he (Rabada) asked me 'Did you see me a bowl?' and I told him that he wasn't bowling at his full tilt. He said 'I am reserving the energy for the game", Delhi captain Shreyas Iyer said in the presentation ceremony.

Even the Mumbai Indians' skipper Rohit Sharma to felt that Rishabh Pant's knock was the difference between the two sides "We were in the game in the first 10 overs while bowling but the way Rishabh batted, we have to give the credit to him. We missed our lengths and failed to execute our plans but that can happen as there are a lot of new guys in the squad and understanding takes a bit of time".

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