T20 World Cup 2024: Rishabh Pant smashes fifty in BAN vs IND warm-up match, makes strong case for selection in playing XI

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant hit a 32-ball half-century in India’s only T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh in New York on Saturday.

The left-hander, representing India for the first time since a horror car accident in December 2022, was retired out after he hit a boundary at long-on off Shakib Al Hasan to reach his fifty.

Coming in at No. 3, Pant hit four fours and four sixes during his knock, which included a trademark one-handed six off Mahmudullah and three maximums in one over off the bowling of Shakib.

Earlier, after India elected to bat, Rohit Sharma and Sanju Samson were off to a sluggish start on a pitch that was on the slower side. Samson, who is in a race with Pant for the wicketkeer’s slot in India’s playing XI for the tournament, was dismissed for just one run off six balls in the second over.

Pant is coming off a prolific Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, where he was Delhi Capitals’ top run-scorer with 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40.