‘Bas Acting Kar Raha Tha’: Rishabh Pant Admits To Playing Mind Games Against South Africa In T20 WC Final | WATCH

Rishabh Pant opened up on his 'fake injury' tactic that he pulled off during the IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2024 final, something that brough a halt in the game, helping India recalibrate.

Rishabh Pant, star India wicket-keeper and batter, is known for his on-field antics. However, the 26-year-old cricketer shared a game-changing mind trick he used against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados—an act that played a pivotal role in India's remarkable comeback to clinch their second T20 World Cup title. Pant’s revelations come after the T20 World Cup 2024-winning captain Rohit Sharma, who opened up on Pant’s ploy to slow things down in a game that was going away from India’s grasp.

Rohit Sharma, in an appearance on ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’, revealed Rishabh Pant’s tactics to disturb South Africa’s momentum during the final, with the Proteas cruising along to victory needing just 26 runs off the final 24 balls with well-set Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease.

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However, realising that India needed something to shift the momentum, Pant paused the game, citing a knee injury, prompting the Indian team physio to enter the field for treatment. Rohit mentioned that this delay helped slow down the game, leading to India's brilliant title-clinching win. 

Pant Admits To 'Fake Injury' Tactic During IND vs SA World Cup Final

Now, in a video going viral on social media of what looks like a Start Sports event, Pant confirmed that he faked an injury and instructed the physio to take his time on the field.

"I was actually thinking what to do because the momentum had suddenly shifted (in South Africa's favour), they had scored plenty of runs in 2-3 overs, so I was thinking when will that moment come when we will the World Cup final," Pant can be heard saying in the video.

Pant revealed that he asked the physio to take his time, causing a delay. He also reveals that Rohit came up to him to check if he is okay to which Pant responded, "Bhaiya, bas acting kar raha tha (It was just acting, I’m okay)."

"I was asking the physio to take time, when Rohit bhai asked if my knee was fine I said, ‘Bhaiya, bas acting kar raha tha (It was just acting, I’m okay)’,” Pant says further.

Watch the video of Pant revealing his tactics during the World Cup final:

“Sometimes you have to do these types of things in matches, I'm not saying it works every time, but it does work sometimes and if it works at that kind of a moment, then nothing like it," the southpaw added.