• Home
  • Player Stories
  • 38 Balls 116 Runs And Pure Domination Throwback To Rishabh Pants Smat Masterclass

38 balls, 116 runs, and pure domination! Throwback to Rishabh Pant’s SMAT masterclass

Poulomi Chakraborty

Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 116 in SMAT 2018 (Source: @RP17Gang/x.com)Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 116 in SMAT 2018 (Source: @RP17Gang/x.com)

For years, MS Dhoni ruled the space behind the stumps with genius, calmness, and unmatched skill, and finding his true heir felt impossible until Rishabh Pant arrived with his unreal talent. A wicketkeeper-batter, filled with a fearless mindset, outstanding power-hitting prowess, and a mind-blowing risk-taking ability, emerged as the next-generation star.

Pant dared to bring T20 madness to the Test format, entertained fans with some fireworks on the ground. But the ‘Pantastic’ journey didn’t start there; his first sparks ignited on the big stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, hinting at the superstar he was destined to become.

In the SMAT 2018, when Delhi met Himachal Pradesh, Pant lit up the scene with a jaw-dropping hundred and guided the side towards a glorious victory. Let’s take a tour of that unforgettable day.

Pant dominates with a fiery ton, Delhi buckles under pressure

The limited-overs format always spreads some extra thrills, and T20 cricket has become the ultimate showstopper, delivering unmatched madness year after year. Tests test the patience of a player, but Rishabh Pant touched the Test glory with a T20 fire within himself. This batter turns every Test innings into a spectacle, blending explosive power with fearless rampage as only a true T20 warrior can.

The international stage soon witnessed Pant’s fury, but it all began in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his explosive talent first ignited. In the SMAT 2018 season, Pant unleashed his fiery mode against Himachal Pradesh with a fiery, unbeaten 116-run knock.

After winning the toss, Delhi opted to bowl first, and Himachal Pradesh struggled early on. The Delhi bowlers unleashed their domination as they restricted the opponent to just 144 runs. But as Himachal looked to fight back, little did they know the unstoppable ‘Pant Storm’ was brewing to shatter their hopes completely.

Chasing down the total, Pant opened the innings with Gautam Gambhir, and the world saw Pant redefining the domination. Taking charge since the first ball, Pant looked unstoppable as he completed a stormy half-century in just 18 deliveries.

The bowlers were already in despair, but Pant turned the day into his personal spectacle. With even more fireworks, he stormed towards a dazzling hundred and smashed the blazing century in just 32 balls. He finished with an unbeaten 116 off 38 deliveries, smashing 8 boundaries and 12 monstrous sixes in a jaw-dropping display of T20 madness.

After Delhi chased down the total in just 12 overs, they registered a massive 10-wicket victory, sparing 50 balls. Rishabh Pant’s fiery knock wasn’t just a century; it was pure T20 mayhem. That innings didn’t just trouble the bowlers; it showcased Pant’s fearless masterclass to the world.