Rishabh Pant fails to fire on comeback, scores rapid-fire 18 runs

Rishabh Pant’s emotional comeback to competitive cricket in the Indian Premier League (IPL) didn’t get the desired sensational fairytale start. Back in action after 453 days, Pant scored 18 runs for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings on Saturday.

Coming in at No. 4, Pant struck two boundaries during his 18 runs from 13 balls before being dismissed by Harshal Patel. Incidentally, Pant’s stay in the middle was prolonged by Harshal when he failed to spot the ball into the sun and let a simple catch slip on the boundary rope.

After the reprieve, Pant hit Harshal for a boundary towards extra cover with a glorious drive. But a ball and two runs later, Pant was undone by the pace of the seamer’s delivery. With the speed reduced to 123 kmph, Pant tried to ramp it up but lobbed it to Jonny Bairstow at backward point instead. Understandably, Pant was livid with himself as he walked back.

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At the toss, Pant called his return an emotional moment. “Really emotional time for me. Just want to enjoy the moment. Not thinking much. I think not worried about last season. Really exciting times,” the 26-year-old said.

Put into bat by Shikhar Dhawan, Delhi Capitals scored 174/9 in the first innings helped significantly by Abhishek Porel’s 25 runs in the final over. Coming in as an Impact Substitute, Porel top-scored with an unbeaten 32 off only 10 balls and lifted DC to a competitive total after an early batting collapse.