Shikhar Dhawan interrupts his interview to embrace Rishabh Pant during DPL 2024 after Purani Dilli 6 captain's dismissal

Away from the cricket field, Shikhar Dhawan showcased his new role as a co-owner of the South Delhi Superstars at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi during the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2024 opener between Purani Dilli 6 and his team. Despite being actively involved in cricket, Dhawan took on the responsibilities of a team owner with enthusiasm. During the match, Dhawan shared a warm embrace with his Delhi teammate Rishabh Pant, who was leading Purani Dilli 6 as their captain. This gesture highlighted the strong bond between the two players, even as they found themselves on opposite sides of the field.

Pant scored 35 off 32, laced with four boundaries and a solitary six, during the match against South Delhi Superstars as Purani Dilli 6 amassed 197 runs for losing three wickets in 20 overs. Arpit Rana was the pick of the batters for his half-century knock.

After the dismissal of Pant, as the Indian star made his way back to the dug out, Dhawan, who was midway through an interview with the broadcaster on the sidelines of the match in Delhi, stopped the proceedings and hugged the wicketkeeper-batter. The two have shared the dressing room not just for the Indian team, but also for the Delhi state team and Delhi Daredevils in IPL.

South Delhi Superstarz beat Purani Dilli 6

Earlier during the match, South Delhi Superstars captain Ayush Badoni won the toss and put Purani Dilli 6 to bat first in the tournament opener.

Rana stitched a gritty 80-run stand for the second wicket alongside Pant, where he did the majority of the scoring with his41-ball 59, laced with eight boundaries and two sixes. The middle-order then played a handy role in taking the score close to the 200-run mark, with the likes of Lalit Yadav scoring an unbeaten 34 off 21 and Vansh Bedi hitting 47 not out of 19 balls. In response, South Delhi's top-order laid the foundation for their three-wicket win, with captain Badoni scoring 57 off 29.

With the Indian cricket team having entered a rare 42-period international break, beginning last week following the end of the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, Pant agreed to be part of the Delhi Premier League. He will next feature in the opening round of Duleep Trophy 2024, which will be played between September 5 and 24. It will mark his return to red-ball cricket for the first time since his car accident in December 2022.

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