Focus on the action as Delhi T20 league kicks off with fiery competition

New Delhi: The Arun Jaitley Stadium was abuzz with activity on a cool August evening, a sight not usually seen during this time of the year. Posters of cricket stars like Rishabh Pant, Ishant Sharma, and Navdeep Saini, alongside brand ambassador Virender Sehwag, lined the main road leading to the stadium. Large signboards directed spectators to various entry points, marking the beginning of the much-anticipated inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL).

In these months before a new domestic season gets underway, the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, in the heart of the national capital, tends to generally wear a deserted look. But with Delhi deciding to join the bandwagon of local T20 leagues mushrooming across the country in recent years, that is likely to change. Earlier this month, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley said that he hopes to see the T20 league become an annual affair at this time of the year.

For the 2,000-odd spectators who turned up, Purani Dilli-6 captain Rishabh Pant was the biggest draw. But before that, the opening ceremony saw song, dance and fireworks as Bollywood rapper Badshah performed his hit numbers on a makeshift stage right in front of the pavilion named after Virat Kohli. Soon after, some of Delhi’s star cricketers -- Pant, Ishant and Shikhar Dhawan (co-owner of the South Delhi Superstarz franchise) – were felicitated on stage by DDCA. Vikas, the elder brother of Virat, was also present for the occasion.

Once the cricket began, the focus naturally shifted to Pant. And the wait to see Pant in action wasn’t long. With South Delhi Superstarz skipper Ayush Badoni opting to bowl, Pant was in at No.3 in the third over.

Part of the T20 World Cup-winning team in the USA and Caribbean in June, the 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has had a smooth comeback into India’s white-ball set-up after a horrific accident in December 2022. But with India’s home season beginning next month – a two-Test series against Bangladesh awaits first up -- his attention will soon shift to red-ball cricket. As preparation, he will feature in the Duleep Trophy beginning on September 5.

Saturday’s fixture, thus, was Pant’s first and last of this opening DPL season. Though he wasn’t at his most fluent, flashes of his quality were visible, particularly in the pick-up shot for six over fine leg and the thump through cover for four in the 14th over. He was dismissed for 35 (32b) in the next over when a short ball by seamer Kunwar Bidhuri got big on him. But by then, he had done his bit by creating some buzz for this new endeavour.

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