Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has opened up about his excitement to play the first match of the Delhi Premier League. He said that the tournament will be a great opportunity for young players to make a name for themselves and break into the Indian Premier League.
The inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League is scheduled to take place on August 17. The opening match of the tournament will be between Purani Delhi 6 and South Delhi Superstarz, which will be captained by Lucknow Super Giants batsman Ayush Badoni. The match will begin at 8:30 pm IST.
In what will be the biggest boost for the tournament, Rishabh Pant will play the first match of the tournament for the Purani Delhi 6 team. The wicketkeeper-batsman will play just one match and then go for training ahead of the Duleep Trophy.
Pant himself agreed to play the only match of the tournament as his presence in the first match would set the tone for the entire tournament. The wicketkeeper-batsman agreed to play because he wants to help the DDCA in its new initiative as the association has helped him a lot in his career.
While speaking to the Purani Delhi 6 team, the wicketkeeper-batsman spoke about the tournament as an opportunity for youngsters. He said that it is a huge platform at the grassroots level for the players as they can gain a lot of attention. He explained:
“I am excited to play in the Delhi Premier League because I feel that from a basic point of view, it is a great opportunity for players who do not get recognition in the IPL. When people see you playing in these leagues, they can pick you. Hopefully, they (young players) will have a good run in the tournament.”
Along with Pant, Ishant Sharma will play for the team. Purani Dilli 6 also got 20-year-old opening batsman and spinner Arpit Rana and right-arm spinner Prince Yadav.
Having Ishant Sharma and Rishabh Pant on our side brings tremendous experience and skill – Mr. Akash Nangia, Owner, Purani Dilli 6
Purani Dilli 6 owner Mr. Akash Nangia spoke about the tournament and said that having Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma will bring a huge amount of experience and skill to the team and they are confident of making an impact in the league. He explained:
“We are delighted to begin the DPL with such an exciting line-up. Having Ishant Sharma and Rishabh Pant in our side brings a wealth of experience and skill, which has inspired and motivated our younger players. We are confident that Purani Dilli 6 will make a huge impact in the league.”
Here is the Purani Dilli 6 team:
Lalit Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Arpit Rana, Shivam Sharma, Prince Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Mayank Gusain, Sanat Sangwan, Ankit Bhadana, Yug Gupta, Keshav Dalal, Ayush Singh, Kush Nagpal, Sumit Chhikara, Arnav Bugga, Vansh Bedi, Manjeet, Yash Bhardawaj, Sambhav Sharma, Laxman.
