Rishabh Pant shares cryptic post about missing an IPL match due to suspension

Delhi Capitals had to rely on their stand-in captain Axar Patel to lead the team in a must-win clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) deciding to suspend Rishabh Pant. The goalkeeper batsman was suspended for 1 match after his third over-the-top offense of the season. Pant, who has been instrumental in his franchise’s victories this season both as a leader and a wicket-taker, did not react directly to the suspension but shared a cryptic post on Instagram on Sunday.

“The only thing we have power over in the universe is our own thoughts. Can’t say much,” Pant wrote on Instagram.

The match against RCB resulted in a defeat for DC, who suffered a 47-run defeat but were eliminated from the top 4 race.

Although RCB also have 12 points, a superior NRR of 0.387 compared to DC’s dismal -0.482 still keeps them in the hunt if they win their last game and also have some results in their favor. “The dropped catches hurt us. We could have restricted them to 150. Also, when you lose four wickets in the powerplay, you are always chasing the game. 160-170 would have been a nominal score as the pitch was two-paced.” Some were skidding, some were holding,” said Axar Patel, DC’s stand-in captain for the match, at the presentation ceremony.

There were two outs – the first, one against the team’s most impactful batsman, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and the other against Tristan Stubbs, who cost DC dearly.

“When your key players run out and you lose four in the powerplay, you are chasing the game,” said the all-rounder, who for all practical purposes knows his team has little chance of reaching the top four. Anything can happen, but I didn’t think that far ahead.”

With PTI inputs