IND vs BAN, T20 World Cup Warm Up: Rishabh Pant 'Back With A Bang', React Fans on Twitter After Half Century Show

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Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made a triumphant return to international cricket, scoring a 32-ball half-century in India's only T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up match against Bangladesh in New York on Saturday.

This marked Pant's first appearance for India since a severe car accident in December 2022. His fifty, completed with a boundary off Shakib Al Hasan, was a testament to his resilience and skill. Fans were too happy with the show and heaped praises on him.

Batting at No. 3, Pant's innings was a display of power and precision. He smashed four fours and four sixes, including his signature one-handed six off Mahmudullah and three sixes in a single over off Shakib.

His performance was especially notable given the slow pitch conditions that had earlier troubled openers Rohit Sharma and Sanju Samson. Samson, who is competing with Pant for the wicketkeeper's spot, managed only one run off six balls before being dismissed in the second over.

Pant's stellar form in the IPL 2024, where he was Delhi Capitals' top scorer with 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40, set high expectations for his international comeback. Fans were elated to see him continue his impressive run in the warm-up match, flooding social media with praise and admiration.

One fan tweeted, "FIFTY BY RISHABH PANT IN 32 BALLS...!!! A marvelous half century ahead of the main matches - The Pant show in New York." Another echoed this sentiment, stating, "Returned to international cricket after almost 18 months and played as if he had never been away. Well played, Rishabh Pant."

Some fans admitted they had reservations about Pant's return but were happy to be proven wrong. "I'm genuinely happy Rishabh Pant is proving me (and other skeptics) wrong! I was doubtful of his inclusion being a good idea, deeming it premature... But whoa, is he shutting me up, and how! A very solid knock, and hoping he carries this form forward to the actual tournament!" read another tweet.

Pant's ability to dominate on a challenging pitch did not go unnoticed. One fan remarked, "Rishabh Pant made this slow pitch look like an absolute flat one."

However, there were also critical voices. One tweet highlighted concerns about Pant's consistency in major tournaments: "These practice games are why India flops in ICC tournaments! Players like Rishabh Pant flex in these easy matches but ghost when it really counts. If you can't hit 7-10 good innings after 66 games, you shouldn't be in International T20s. That's just embarrassing."

Despite the mixed reactions, Rishabh Pant's return has undoubtedly added excitement and hope among Indian cricket fans as the team heads into the T20 World Cup 2024. His performance against Bangladesh suggests he is ready to make a significant impact on the global stage.