The final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 had everything in it, from drama to twists. South Africa needed 26 runs to win off 24 balls with six wickets in the bag. Heinrich Klaasen was going all guns blazing and David Miller was well set at the other end. Things looked almost bleak for India as they were set to lose another final in seven months time. However, the cameras then spotted wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant lying on the ground with physios doing some treatment.
The break lasted for some time and the whole momentum of the team broke down. South Africa’s batting collapse with the loss of Heinrich Klaasen’s wicket and they lost the final by 7 runs.
Rishabh Pant talked about faking his injury in the T20 World Cup 2024 final
Pant opened up about the strategy behind his planned injury break. He recently stated that he indeed told to Rohit Sharma that he was acting as the momentum had shifted to South Africa’s favour after they scored some runs in the last two to three overs. So, Pant wanted to break the momentum.
“I actually thinking what to do because the momentum had suddenly shifted (in South Africa’s favour), they had scored plenty of runs in 2-3 overs, so I was thinking when will that moment come when we will the World Cup final,” Pant said in a Star Sports show.
He added: “I was asking the physio to take time. When Rohit bhai asked if my knee is fine I said, ‘Bhaiya, mast acting kar raha tha‘ (I was acting all this while). Sometimes you have to do these types of things in matches. I’m not saying it works every time, but it does work sometimes and if it works at that kind of a moment, then nothing like it.”
After participating in the Test series vs Bangladesh, Rishabh Pant is being given rest for the ongoing T20I series against the Bangla Tigers. He will make his comeback in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
