Watch: Selfless Rishabh Pant sacrifices his wicket for Hardik Pandya in the final over against England

Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya: (Image Source: Twitter)

Playing his second game in the 20-20 World Cup 2022, Rishabh Pant had a point to prove in the big semi-final match against England on Thursday. However, he came into the crease pretty late in the 19th over. Virat Kohli’s departure on the last ball of the 18th over meant there were only 12 deliveries left in the innings for Pant to make a solid impression.

The first ball he faced, Pant sliced Curran over cover for a boundary and got off to a positive start to his innings. On the very next ball, he took a single and gave Hardik Pandya the strike, who was firing on all cylinders at the other end.

Pandya struck two fours and a six in the next three deliveries to end the over on a great note. The Indian all-rounder was looking in ominous touch and it was obvious that he should take the strike for most part of the final over.

Rishabh Pant was on strike to face the first ball and he took a single but the next ball also resulted in a single, and Pant was back to face the third ball of the final over. Hardik Pandya was desperate to get the strike back. Pant had no answer to Jordan’s yorker outside the off-stump on the third ball.

It went straight to the keeper but Pandya was desperate to take the single. He was halfway down the pitch and Buttler threw the ball at the striker’s end but it didn’t hit the bails and reached Jordan, who eventually took the bails off at the non-striker’s end. Rishabh Pant, eventually, sacrificed his wicket for Pandya. You can see how the incident unfolded here:

pic.twitter.com/nPY1NkRW1t

— Guess Karo (@KuchNahiUkhada) November 10, 2022

On the very next ball, Hardik Pandya smacked Jordan for a six and eventually, lifted the team to a competitive score of 168 runs in the first innings. England’s openers, however, have made a mockery of India’s bowling unit in the second innings. Buttler and Hales have added 110 runs for the opening wicket and are cruising into the run-chase.