Rishabh Pant won the best fielder award after India’s historic win over England in the T20 World Cup semifinal. India defeated the reigning champions by 68 runs to secure their place in the final. The special medal was presented to Pant by the beloved Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik.
Pant earned the award for his quick and nimble work behind the stumps. This is his second best fielder medal in the T20 World Cup. Although he had a tough day with the bat, scoring only four runs off six balls, Pant excelled in the field. He took the crucial catch of Jos Buttler and stumped Moeen Ali, outperforming other contenders like Ravindra Jadeja, Suryakumar Yadav, and Virat Kohli.
While presenting the medal, Karthik gave an emotional speech. He said, “There are many stories in sport but there are not many better than the person I am giving the medal to. What he’s gone through a year ago, I think six months ago, no one expected him to be in this team, not many would have expected him to play this sport this early. But for him to come out here and play the way he has done, all are very happy for him and he has made millions happy by just being on the field – Rishabh Pant.”
As India prepares for the T20 World Cup final, Pant’s stellar performance behind the stumps continues to be a key asset for the team.