India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant achieved a remarkable milestone by recording the most dismissals in a single edition of the T20 World Cup during Match 43 against Afghanistan on Thursday, June 21. The 23-year-old showcased his exceptional skills behind the stumps, taking three catches to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, and Naveen ul Haq, bringing his total to ten dismissals in the ongoing tournament.
This record-breaking feat places Pant ahead of legendary cricketers like AB de Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, and Kumar Sangakkara, who each had nine dismissals in previous editions. Pant’s stellar performance extends beyond his wicketkeeping, as he is also India’s leading run-scorer in the tournament with 116 runs from four innings, boasting an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.81.
Pant’s contributions with the bat include an unbeaten 36 off 26 balls against Ireland in the opening match and a quickfire 42 off 21 balls against Pakistan. In their latest encounter, India secured a convincing 47-run victory over Afghanistan at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, marking a strong start to their Super 8 campaign.
After opting to bat first, India posted a formidable total of 181/8 in 20 overs, despite an early setback with captain Rohit Sharma being dismissed for 8 off 13 balls. Virat Kohli, who finally reached double digits in the tournament, was dismissed for 24 off 24 balls by Rashid Khan.
The innings was stabilized by Suryakumar Yadav (53 off 28) and Hardik Pandya (32 off 24), who propelled India to a competitive score. Afghanistan’s chase faltered from the outset, with Jasprit Bumrah delivering a match-winning spell of 3/7 in four overs, ultimately bowling out Afghanistan for 134.
India’s dominant performance set the stage for their next clash against Bangladesh on Saturday, June 22, at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
