India’s Rishabh Pant bats against Bangladesh during a T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, Saturday, June 1, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI
India hit several wickets in their 60-run win over Bangladesh in a T20 World Cup warm-up match here on Saturday, but none more audacious than the fifty by Rishabh Pant that sealed his position as first-choice wicketkeeper at the ICC showpiece.
Pant’s 53 (32b, 4×4, 4×6), who returned to India after a horrific car accident in December 2022, and an equally happy Hardik Pandya (40 not out, 23b, 2×4, 4×6) led India to a competitive 182 for five after. elected to bat first.
India faced little trouble defending their total as left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh found the bowling stuff, reducing Bangladesh’s limit to 122 for nine.
There was a token battle of Mahmudullah Riyaz (40 retired out; 28b, 4×4, 1×6) and Shakib Al Hasan (28), who milked 75 runs for six-wicket.
But it helped Bangladesh narrow the margin of defeat after being reduced to 41 for five.
Arshdeep, who had a less than satisfactory outing in the IPL for the Punjab Kings, struck twice in the Power Play, outsting Soumya Sarkar, caught behind by Pant, and Litton Das, who was bowled by an excellent in-curler from over the wicket. Fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj added the wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) when they went down to 10 for three in 3.5 overs, and it was too deep a hole to claw back against a competent bowling unit, which had a good variety through the ranks. .
The Indian bowlers also showed great skill in exploiting the slow pace which was also helped by an equally sluggish outfield where the ball did not spin. Pacer Shivam Dube also took two wickets (2/11).
For Bangladesh, the loss was a continuation of their dismal build-up to the World Cup as they recently lost the three-match T20I series against USA 1-2.
The insipid batting effort by Bangladesh also gave better perspective to Pant and Pandya’s previous innings.
This is the gumption that led India to above-par scores in the slow distance, and something that will come in very handy if India embraces the tournament proper from June 5 with a match against Ireland at this venue.
Pant has an edge over Sanju Samson after the knock
Pant retired after making 53 but not before nullifying a plethora of Bangladeshi slow bowlers.
But the knock has certainly given him an edge over Sanju Samson in the wicketkeeper-bats competition.
Samson entered as an opener before Yashasvi Jaiswal along with captain Rohit Sharma (23, 19b, 2×4, 1×6) as Virat Kohli, who was expected to open, skipped the match after arriving here only on Saturday.
However, Samson, who has had a good run in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals, was trapped in front of the wicket for 6-ball 1 by left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam as he struggled to come to terms with the nature of the track.
There were also practical contributions by Suryakumar Yadav (31, 18b, 4×4) and Pandya (40) as India moved to a competitive total despite not having a big partnership in the innings.
But the main architect of the total battle was Pant.
Pant, who is returning to competitive cricket during IPL 2024, has shown his good touch for Delhi Capitals as he made 287 runs from 13 matches with three fifties and a strike rate of 155.
The left-hander also continued his fine touch here, bringing the Bangladesh bowlers.
There are typical Pant shots, which are difficult to describe, like the flick from Soumya with the medium pacer to fine leg for a boundary or the one-handed six when he is off-balance from Mahmudullah Riyadh. .
Pant, who hit Shakib Al Hasan for two consecutive sixes, brought up his fifty in 32 balls with a boundary on Shakib before retiring to the pavilion.
Dube, who dropped in four, could not exploit the let-off and was dismissed for 16-ball 14 and at that stage India was 130 for four after 14.4 overs.
India needed some acceleration and Pandya provided it.
Pandya, who dropped on 26, smashed three consecutive sixes off left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam which they treated to watch for power and neat execution.
His attitude and confidence may have pleased the team management and himself after his exit as Mumbai Indians captain in a season in which he came under intense professional and personal scrutiny.
Bangladesh also suffered injuries as Shoriful walked before bowling in the final over, when Tanzim Hasan finished.
