IPL 2022, RR vs DC: 3 best knocks of Rishabh Pant against Rajasthan

Rishabh Pant's wicket proved to be the turning point of the Delhi Capitals (DC)'s chase against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as they suffered a heavy defeat at the IPL 2022 on Sunday. The loss has dented DC's chances of making it to the playoffs, but they are still not completely out of it.

The Capitals will play their next game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Wednesday and it is a crucial encounter for both IPL teams. While the Royals will try to cement their place in the playoffs, DC will be desperate to keep their season alive.

To win the game, the Capitals would definitely need their captain Rishabh Pant to step up. Interestingly, Pant has a fantastic record against the Royals. In just eight games, the 24-year-old has scored 344 runs at an average of 57.33 with four half-centuries to his name.

While he hasn't scored a single half-century this season, Rishabh Pant hasn't looked out of form. The game against Rajasthan could well be one where he comes back to his best.

On that note, let's take a look at Rishabh Pant's top three knocks against the Royals:

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#3 53*(38), Match 53, IPL 2019

Although the game was remembered for a memorable bowling performance by the Capitals, Rishabh Pant's knock was crucial in taking them over the line. Some fantastic bowling from the likes of Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma helped DC restrict the Royals to just 115/9 in their 20 overs.

Riyan Parag scored a half-century but the total was just not good enough. However, the RR bowlers did make things difficult for the Capitals. Had it not been for a well-made 53* off 38 balls from Pant, the game would have been much closer.

Mishra was adjudged the Man of the Match for his sensational figures of 3/17. But Pant was an unsung hero of the game as he played like a genuine finisher.

View the IPL 2022 timetable here.

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#2 69(29), Match 32, IPL 2018

In a rain-affected game, the batting of both DC (then called Delhi Daredevils) and RR fired, making the contest an absolute thriller. With the game initially being 17 overs a side, DC got off to a poor start, losing Colin Munro for a first-ball duck.

But Prithvi Shaw and Shreyas Iyer took the attack to the opposition and formed a good partnership. Rishabh Pant came in at No. 4 and completely blew the RR bowling attack away, scoring 69 runs off just 29 balls.

With the match reduced to 12 overs per side, RR needed a mammoth 151 to win. D'Arcy Short and Jos Buttler got off to a fantastic start. Buttler, in particular, was at his fearsome best and it looked like RR would rather cruise to a win.

However, the DC bowlers struck back with wickets and a minor batting collapse from RR saw them losing the game by just four runs.

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#1 78*(36), Match 20, IPL 2019

Rishabh Pant's best knock against RR came in a fantastic run chase by the Capitals in the 2019 season, which was one of the highlights of their resurgence as an IPL franchise. Ajinkya Rahane's century put the Royals in a fantastic position at 191/6 in their 20 overs.

Although DC openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan got off to a good start, the match was still arguably in RR's grasp when Rishabh Pant walked out to bat. The southpaw shifted gears with ease and began a stunning counter-attack on the RR bowlers.

Pant scored 78* off just 36 balls and with the help of a small cameo from Sherfane Rutherford, DC completed a rather steep chase with four balls to spare.