Rishabh Pant, the captain of Delhi Capitals (DC), will mark his 100th Indian Premier League (IPL) match for the team during the upcoming clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Pant stands as the first player in the franchise’s history to achieve this milestone, showcasing his loyalty since his IPL debut back in 2016. In his 99 matches for DC to date, Pant has accumulated 2,856 runs at an average of 34.40 and a striking rate of 147.90. He boasts a century and 15 half-centuries in 98 innings, with a highest score of 128*. Pant holds the record for the highest run-scorer for Delhi since its inception in 2008, surpassing players like David Warner and Virender Sehwag in the top three rankings.
Following promising performances in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Pant emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the 2018 campaign. During that outstanding season, he amassed 684 runs in 14 matches, averaging 52.62 with a remarkable strike rate of 173.60. Pant notched a century and five half-centuries, with his highest score matching 128*. His remarkable display includes a memorable innings of 128* off 63 deliveries against Sunrisers Hyderabad, featuring 15 boundaries and seven sixes at a phenomenal strike rate exceeding 203. This innings was highlighted by inventive shots and aggressive play that have become Pant’s signature moves in the following years.
In 2021, Pant took on the role of the team’s captain. Under his leadership, the team has secured victory in 16 matches, faced defeat in 14, and experienced one tie, marking a win percentage of 51.61. Pant was part of the 2020 DC squad that reached the finals, ultimately losing to Mumbai Indians (MI) by five wickets. Prior to his 100th IPL match, Pant made a strong comeback after a life-threatening road accident and will look to dazzle the Jaipur crowd with his performance.
The squads for the upcoming match are as follows:
Rajasthan Royals Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sandeep Sharma, Avesh Khan, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Nandre Burger, Rovman Powell, Tanush Kotian, Shubham Dubey, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Prasidh Krishna, Donovan Ferreira, Abid Mushtaq, Kunal Singh Rathore.
Delhi Capitals Squad: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ricky Bhui, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Sumit Kumar, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Vicky Ostwal, Praveen Dubey, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Prithvi Shaw, Lalit Yadav, Rasikh Dar Salam, Kumar Kushagra, Yash Dhull, Swastik Chikara.
