Shikhar Dhawan got Delhi Capitals off to a rollicking start with a barrage of fours and sixes, adding 72 runs for the opening wicket with Prithvi Shaw in only 7.3 overs. But it was Pant, who played the most influential role in DC's win, finishing it off with a six.
After a quiet first over, Dhawan cut loose and hammered Dhawal Kulkarni for a six over deep square and leg and a four. Having removed Kulkarni from the attack, Dhawan went down on his knee and whacked Shreyas Gopal over fine-leg for another maximum, and then hit two successive fours.
Shaw had luck on his side as Ashton Turner dropped him on 10, and the young batsman capitalised on that by hitting a few boundaries.
After pulling Gopal for a four, Dhawan was stumped while going down the wicket, and DC skipper Shreyas Iyer fell to a horrendous shot.
But Shaw and Pant added runs in double quick time to help Delhi Capitals cross the line. While Shaw was contended to play second fiddle when Dhawan attacked, he opened up in the company of Pant, who found the fence regularly.
Put to bat, the hosts lost opener Sanju Samson (0) with just 5 runs on board. However, Rahane and Smith stitched a 130-run partnership for the second wicket. They took just 10.3 overs to help Rajasthan touch the three-digit mark. Rahane and Smith were batting at 70 and 35, respectively, at that time.
With everything going in Rajasthan's way, it was Axar Patel who made a much-needed breakthrough for Delhi by sending a well-settled Smith to the hut with Rajasthan's scorecard reading 135 in the 14th over.
South African Chris Morris then cut short all-rounder and incoming batsman Ben Stokes' stay in the middle by dismissing him in the 16th over. Stokes while trying to clear the fence handed a catch to Shreyas Iyer at long-on.
Soon after his departure, Ashton Turner (0), Stuart Binny (19) and Riyan Parag (4) also fell cheaply. But Rahane kept the scorers working and also notched up his ton to take his side to a comfortable total.