IPL 2019 | Hitting sixes is in my muscle memory, says Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant is widely-reckoned for hitting big strokes and has said that hitting sixes is in his muscle memory. Pant’s cameo against Sunrisers Hyderabad helped Delhi Capitals to overcome a late scare and sculpt a spot in Qualifier 2, where they will battle it out against CSK to make it to the final
Delhi Capitals' hard-hitting middle-order batsman is one of the finest hitters of the ball in contemporary cricket and has done reasonably well in recent times to make his presence unavoidable. Pant’s cameo under the pump against SRH helped DC make it to Qualifier 2. Pant smashed big sixes to weather the storm, especially in the 18th over, where he took Basil Thampi for cleaners. His 21-ball 49 included five sixes as DC beat SRH by a nerve-wracking two-wicket margin. Pant has said that attacking is in his muscle memory and that is why he drills so hard.Â
“In T20s, you need 40 off 20 or so, then you have to attack one bowler. I don't see who's bowling. It's in our muscle memory, and that's why we practise so much," Pant said, reported PTI.
Pant's timing was exquisite in his brisk knock, he didn't try to go hard and focused a lot on timing. "Today, that was special because I didn't try to hit the ball too hard. I was just watching the ball, and I was trying to time the ball," Pant added. Â
Pant played a scintillating knock under the pump but failed to carry his team over the line after being dismissed in the penultimate over. His dismissal didn’t cost DC massively, as they managed to chase down the target after few hiccups. Â
"If you are set on a wicket like this, you have to finish the match for your team. I took it very close, but next time I will finish it for the team. I just try to be positive. If your mindset is negative, it doesn't help," said Pant.
Pant’s heroics impressed many and former English skipper Michael Vaughan also said that India should draft him into the World Cup squad before it’s too late. DC will now play CSK in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
