Well, there can hardly be any doubt about the best player in the Indian Premier League [IPL] match between Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions on Thursday.
Rishabh Pant has been hailed as the next big thing in Indian cricket for a while and he was in supreme form at the Feroz Shah Kotla as he took the Gujarat bowling to the cleaners.
The 19-year-old fell just three short of becoming the youngest ever IPL centurion as he was dismissed for 97 runs which came from just 43 deliveries. The knock saw him hit as many as six fours and nine sixes.
Sanju Samson played a brilliant supporting role as Pant and he added 143 runs for Delhi’s second wicket which guided the hosts to a comfortable seven-wicket victory.
Pant has 281 runs this season at a jaw-dropping strike-rate ofΒ 175.62.
SOCIAL CHATTER
#RishabhPant stole hearts today.
— Delhi Daredevils (@DelhiDaredevils) May 4, 2017
What a performance!#DDTweets #DDvGL #DhoomDhamaka #DilDilliHai pic.twitter.com/cm7f11ivQ1
One of the best Innings I have seen in the IPL & that includes all 10 seasons. @RishabPant777 pic.twitter.com/SGv3YuXwJ5
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) May 4, 2017
Deserved a hundred @RishabPant777 fearless knock. Well played #III
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) May 4, 2017
Doesn't get much better #Pant #DDvGL #IPL
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) May 4, 2017
The future star of Indian cricket batted wearing 777 no: shirt for @DelhiDaredevils.Well batted @RishabPant777 #DDvGL.Sad to miss a 100 @IPL
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) May 4, 2017
Rishab Pant ππ
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) May 4, 2017
Love batsman with tremendous belief in themselves which is backed by a special ability for ball hitting.Extra Special today frm Rishabh Pant
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 4, 2017
The boundary is irrelevant. Both such clean strikers. 6 as and when they decide.#IPLT20 #DDvGL#youngtalent #youthfulexuberance
— Mpumelelo Mbangwa (@mmbangwa) May 4, 2017
Brilliant innings from two talented young batsmen #sanjusamson & @RishabPant777 ππLoved their positivity,skill and fearless approachπ #IPL
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) May 4, 2017
Love watching @RishabPant777 what a talent πππ»
— Jos Buttler (@josbuttler) May 4, 2017
The joy of youth, so fearless. They may not pay off all the time but when they do, just sit back and enjoy π₯ π₯π₯ ππ½ππ½ππ½ #DDvGL #IPL
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) May 4, 2017