Team India on Sunday clinched victory from the jaws of defeat against Pakistan in a nervy 6-run win in the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Nassau County Stadium in New York. After the victory, the players and the support staff gathered in the dressing room where fielding coach T Dilip handed the ‘Best Fielder’ award. He had shortlisted three nominees – Rishabh Pant (for his excellent glovework behind the wickets), Suryakumar Yadav (for his sharp reflex catch at slip to dismiss Pakistan captain Babar Azam) and Arshdeep Singh (who took the catch of Imad Wasim despite colliding with Ravindra Jadeja). “Today was a great example of ‘when the going gets tough, the tough gets going’. One thing which stood out today was the sheer commitment towards excellence in fielding. In high-pressure situations, being proactive is extremely important. Today, we backed each other up, looked after each other and worked as one unit. Outstanding effort, well done. This level of coordination makes us effective and sets us apart from any other team,” Dilip said.
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He then announced the arrival of a special person, and on came former India coach Ravi Shastri. After giving the medal to Pant, Shastri said, “First, give me a hug,” said Shastri after bestowing Pant with the medal.The former India head coach then recalled the shocking accident of the wicketkeeper-batter in December 2022 which forced him out of action for 14 months. “All I say for Rishabh. Brilliant performance. I had tears in my eyes when I heard about his accident. When I saw him in the hospital, it was worse. And then for him to come back from there and be back in the A-zone playing one of the biggest games, India vs Pakistan, is heartwarming,” said Shastri.“Batting, everybody knew. What you’re capable of, is the X-factor you have. But your wicketkeeping and range of movement that you have quickly got back in after the operation, is a tribute for how much you worked hard. Not just for yourself, it’s an inspiration to millions around the globe. From adversity, from the jaws of death, you can snatch a win as well. So well done, keep up the good work” he added.
Shastri also spoke about the game between the arch-rivals which kept the fans on the edge throughout. “Typical India-Pakistan game, where the pendulum swings from one side to the other. It’s a game that puts everyone on edge, not just the dugout and the dressing room. A lot of people suffering from weak hearts will have problems with heart attacks, things of that sort, with lots of ambulances today,” he quipped. Rishabh Pant batted well too, scoring 42 runs in 31 balls to help India reach the total of 113 runs. However, it was his effort on the field that earned him the medal of the best fielder.
