Rishabh Pant, India’s explosive wicketkeeper-batter, has revealed that he ‘faked’ a knee injury during the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados. His intent? To break the momentum of South Africa’s chase as Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were steering the game towards victory. Days after India captain Rohit Sharma mentioned the incident during a show, Pant has now shared his side of the story.
Speaking on a Star Sports show, Pant explained that his actions were calculated to disrupt South Africa’s rapid scoring spree. “I was thinking about what to do because the momentum had suddenly shifted in their favor. They had scored plenty of runs in 2-3 overs, and I was wondering when that moment would come when we could win the World Cup final,” Pant said.
The Moment That Changed the Game
As India set the field for the next over, with South Africa needing only 26 runs off the last 24 balls, Pant went down on the ground, clutching his knee, with the team physio rushing to attend him. Rohit, surprised, asked if Pant’s knee was alright, to which Pant cheekily responded, “Bhaiya, mast acting kar raha tha” (I was acting all this while).
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Pant revealed he had asked the physio to take his time, ensuring that the short break would affect South Africa’s momentum. While such tactics don’t always guarantee success, this time, it worked.
How the Game Turned in India’s Favor
After the short break caused by Pant’s ‘injury,’ the game took a dramatic turn. Hardik Pandya dismissed the well-set Klaasen in the very next over, before Jasprit Bumrah took out the dangerous Marco Jansen with a brilliant in-swinger. From there, India’s bowlers, led by Hardik and Arshdeep Singh, tightened the noose on South Africa’s chase, eventually clinching a narrow 7-run victory.
Rohit Sharma’s Acknowledgement
Earlier, on ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show,’ Rohit Sharma had acknowledged Pant’s clever thinking. While Rohit didn’t credit the moment entirely for India’s triumph, he admitted that Pant’s ploy helped break South Africa’s momentum at a crucial juncture. The victory ended India’s 13-year-long wait for a World Cup title, marking a historic moment in Indian cricket.
For Pant, it was his first ICC tournament appearance since recovering from a long injury layoff, making the win even more special. Reflecting on the incident, Pant humorously remarked, “Sometimes you have to do these things in matches. I’m not saying it works every time, but when it does, it can turn the match around.”
India’s Road to Glory
India’s win in the T20 World Cup 2024 was a culmination of strong team performances throughout the tournament. Pant’s clever antics were just one piece of the puzzle in what became a thrilling final. The game will go down in history not only for India’s long-awaited victory but also for the unexpected ways in which the players, like Pant, contributed to the team’s success.
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