Rishabh Pant Named 'Wildcard' for India's T20 World Cup Final

Rishabh Pant's remarkable return to cricket has earned him a "wildcard" selection for India's T20 World Cup final against South Africa, according to former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.

After a near-fatal car accident in December 2022, Pant's recovery has been an inspiration to many. The explosive left-handed batter is back in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, leading the Delhi Capitals. His impressive performances earned him a call-up to India's 15-man squad for the mega event.

In India's opening match of the tournament, Pant showcased his class with a reverse scoop over the wicketkeeper's head for a boundary against Ireland. Manjrekar believes Pant will be the player to watch out for against South Africa on Saturday at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

"I think we will get a great idea about who the big match player is. I'm going to go with a wildcard and say Rishabh Pant will be the player to watch out for," Manjrekar said on the 'Caught and Bold' show on Disney+ Hotstar.

Pant has been promoted to the number three position in the batting order, with Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma opening the innings. Pant has performed admirably in his new role, scoring 171 runs at a strike rate of 129.54 and an average of 28.50 in seven matches.

In less than a year, head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit will lead India in their third ICC tournament final. Pant will be eager to make a difference for the Indian team, which is still chasing its first World Cup trophy since 2011.

India's hopes of winning the title were dashed by Australia in both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup. However, Australia will not be a factor this time around, as they were eliminated from the tournament.

India sent Australia to the brink of elimination with impressive bowling spells and Rohit's 92-run knock. Afghanistan's historic victory over the cricketing giants left the Baggy Greens stunned before their collapse against India.

"Losing to Afghanistan... When you have a bad day in a very tough format, you pay the price for it. It was as good a side as India. The two best sides in the tournament were India and Australia," Manjrekar added.

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