India's star wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant, surprised fans with an unexpected move during the Delhi Premier League opener by stepping up to bowl the final over of the match. Known for his explosive batting and sharp glovework, Pant had never bowled in an international match, making his decision to take the ball all the more intriguing.
With the South Delhi Superstarz needing just one run to win, Pant's over didn't hold much significance in terms of the match outcome, as the Superstarz clinched victory on the very first ball. However, the unusual sight of Pant with the ball in hand garnered widespread attention among fans and commentators alike.
While some viewed it as a one-off moment, given that his team, Purani Dilli 6, was already on the verge of losing, others couldn't help but connect it to Gautam Gambhir's recent appointment as Team India's head coach. Under Gambhir, a host of Indian batters unexpectedly bowled at key moments during the bilateral limited-overs tour against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Arpit Rana's impressive 59 off 41 and Vansh Bedi's quick 47 off 19 helped Purani Dilli 6 post a formidable total of 197/3 in their allotted 20 overs. However, South Delhi Superstarz managed to successfully chase down the target in just 19.1 overs.
The run chase by South Delhi Superstarz began with great intensity as they scored a remarkable 73 runs in the Powerplay. Priyansh Arya and Sarthak Ray played aggressively, contributing significantly to the team's early success.
Arya's innings came to an end after scoring a brisk 57 off 30 balls, including three fours and four sixes, when he was caught by Arpit Rana off Sharma. Subsequently, Dhruv Singh (1 off 2) fell quickly to Prince Yadav. However, Badoni reached his half-century off just 25 balls in the 14th over, bringing the required runs down to 38 off 36 balls.
The game took a turn as Purani Dilli 6 managed to take four wickets in quick succession. Badoni (57 off 29) and Tejasvi (0 off 1) were dismissed in the 15th over, followed by Kunwar Bidhuri (5 off 7) in the 17th over, and Sumit Mathur (9 off 10) in the 18th over. This left South Delhi needing 13 runs off the last two overs.
Vision Panchal and Digvesh Rathi then showed great composure as they successfully chased down the target with five balls to spare, securing a well-deserved victory for South Delhi Superstarz.
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