Pant wallops 32-ball hundred, the fastest by an Indian

Monday, 15 January 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Rishabh Pant thrived on leg-side shots

ESPNCricinfo: Rishabh Pant smashed the second-fastest hundred in T20 history to help Delhi cruise to a 10-wicket win over Himachal Pradesh at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

The 20-year old brought up his century in 32 balls - two behind Chris Gayle - and finished with an unbeaten 38-ball 116 as Delhi chased a target of 145 with 8.2 overs to spare. Pant made 104 of his runs in boundaries with 12 sixes and eight fours. After a middling Ranji Trophy season, he has found some T20 form leading into the IPL with scores of 38, 9 and 51 in his most recent matches. Pant was one of three players retained by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the 2018 season. His state team Delhi, however, had taken the captaincy away from him prior to the start of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Earlier, electing to bowl first, Delhi put in a disciplined effort to restrict Himachal Pradesh to less than 150. Captain Pradeep Sangwan picked up two wickets, while each of the other five bowlers used accounted for one scalp each. Himachal Pradesh were in a spot of bother on 78 for 5, but Nikhil Gangta scored a 27-ball 40 and put on a 47-run partnership with Rishi Dhawan, who remained unbeaten on 23 off 16 deliveries.

Delhi’s chase barely hit a bump, as Pant and Gautam Gambhir, who made 30 not out off 33 balls, made it a thoroughly one-sided affair. Delhi’s victory, third third in four games, took them to the top of the north zone standings.