Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant scored his second successive half-century in IPL 2024, smashing 55 off 25 balls during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday. Pant slammed four 4s and five 6s during his knock but DC lost to KKR in a one-sided game in Visakhapatnam. However, Pant's return to form is not only a huge boost for DC, but also the Indian team. The wicketkeeper-batter had been out of action for more than a year due to multiple injuries sustained in a car crash. With half-centuries in his last two innings, Pant seems to regaining his lost mojo after the horrific car crash. In the 12th over of DC's 273-run chase, Pant took KKR all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer to the cleaners, smashing 28 runs from six balls.
He hit four 4s and two 6s, with one of them being a no-look six. Venkatesh bowled a good delivery wide of leg stumps and Pant flicked it over deep fine leg region for a six.
KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was in awe of Pant's effort as he gave him a standing ovation for the same.
Notably, this was the most expensive over of IPL 2024.
Coming back to the match, Sunil Narine smashed 85 to lead KKR to the second-best ever IPL total of 272-7 in a crushing 106-run victory over DC.
KKR remained unbeaten from three matches this season after they bowled out Delhi for 166 in 17.2 overs to top the 10-team table.
The venue was Delhi's adopted home ground due to the upcoming general elections in India but Narine and Kolkata made it their own.
Narine, 35, smashed Delhi seamer Ishant Sharma for 26 runs in an over as he raised his fifty in 21 balls and put on 104 runs with teenage debutant Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who hit 54.
Delhi were never in the chase after they lost four wickets, including Marsh out for a duck off fellow Australian Mitchell Starc, inside five overs.
(With AFP Inputs)