IND vs PAK: Rishabh Pant takes a brutal dig at Wahab Riaz's 'if Pant was part of Pakistan' remark over T20 World Cup 2022 snub

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant responded to former Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz's comment about being snubbed during the 2022 T20 World Cup. Rishabh Pant expressed pride in representing India and stated that he doesn't even consider representing any other country when he's not playing.

Rishabh Pant failed to make it into the playing XI against Pakistan in a match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Veteran cricketer Dinesh Karthik was preferred over Pant in the Indian team. The Men in Blue secured a four-wicket victory over the archrivals in a thrilling encounter in the World Cup.

Feel Proud To Represent Them - Rishabh Pant

During an interview with Rajat Sharma, the Editor-in-Chief of India TV, Rishabh Pant was questioned about Wahab Riaz's comment regarding his absence from the playing XI during the last T20 World Cup. Rajat Sharma mentioned that Pakistani players had their eyes on Pant.

“Pakistan players keep their eyes on Rishabh Pant. Wahab Raiz said that Indians made him sit out in the last T20 World Cup if he had been part of Pakistan’s team, he would have surely played,” Rajat Sharma asked.

In response, Pant expressed his pride in representing India, stating that when you play for India, you don't even consider representing any other country.

“When you play for India then you feel proud to represent them that you don’t even think about representing any other country,” Pant replied.

Rishabh Pant Is India's Best Wicketkeeper-Batter - Rishabh Pant

During the 2022 T20 World Cup, Wahab Riaz commented that Rishabh Pant is India's best wicketkeeper-batter since MS Dhoni. Riaz suggested that Pant would not have been sidelined if he were in the Pakistan team.

"Rishabh Pant is India's best wicketkeeper-batter since MS Dhoni. He even has hundreds in England and Australia. If he was in the Pakistan team, would he sit outside in a World Cup match? No chance. India kept him out for Dinesh Karthik," Riaz told News 24HD.

"They know Pant is a good player who will score a lot of runs but he can't be a finisher. At that specific number, they need a finisher. Pant might hit a couple of sixes but if he fails to finish the game, India will lose. That's the way to go," he added.

Rishabh Pant scored 39 and 14 in two T20I outings against Pakistan. The left-handed batter registered scores of three and six against Zimbabwe and England, respectively, in the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, he managed scores of 39, 12, and an unbeaten 27 in the 2021 edition of the tournament.

The 26-year-old batter made an impressive comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 after recovering from a severe car accident sustained in December 2022. The southpaw scored 446 runs in 13 innings at an impressive strike rate of 155.40. He smashed three fifties during this year's T20 tournament.

Rishabh Pant scored an unbeaten half-century against Bangladesh in the warm-up match before the T20 World Cup 2024. Pant scored an unbeaten 36 runs off 26 balls in Team India's eight-wicket victory against Ireland. He will be next seen in action when India take on Pakistan in New York on Sunday, June 9.

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