Pant slams fastest T20 century by an Indian

(EDS: Updating with result of Punjab v/s J&K match)New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Delhi wicket-keeper batsmanRishabh Pant, abruptly sacked from capta...

(EDS: Updating with result of Punjab v/s J&K match)New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Delhi wicket-keeper batsmanRishabh Pant, abruptly sacked from captaincy a week ago, gaveanother example of his rare talent by blasting a record 32-ball hundred in a North Zone match against Himachal Pradesh,here today.

Pant pummelled the opposition attack with the fastestcentury by an Indian to fire his team to a 10-wicket winin the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.

Pant remained unbeaten on 116 off 38 balls. Hisbreathtaking knock comprised 12 sixes and eight fours asDelhi raced to the 145-run target in 11.4 overs.

Gautam Gambhir was left a mere spectator at the other endwith 30 off 33 balls.

His brutal innings was also the second fastest hundred inT20s, only behind Chris Gayle, who hammered 100 off 30 ballsagainst Pune Warriors in the 2013 Indian Premier League.

The southpaw also surpassed Rohit Sharma, who hit a 35-ball hundred against Sri Lanka in T20 International at Indorelast month. In 2016, Pant had smashed India's fastest first-class hundred off 48 balls.

Pant's performance today left a handful of spectators atthe Ferozshah Kotla awestruck, including Yuvraj Singh, whowitnessed a special knock by another left-hander beforetaking the field for Punjab.

"Just witnessed some outstanding hitting by@RishabPant777 scintillating ton," tweeted Yuvraj.

For Delhi, it was their third win in four matches withtheir last league match to be played against Services onTuesday.

Pant has been in ominous touch in the zonal event and hadhammered 51 off 33 balls in the previous match against Jammuand Kashmir.

In the afternoon, Jammu and Kashmir stunned Punjab by 23runs after posting a competitive 164 for three. Punjab couldonly manage 141 in response with Manan Vohra scoring 53.

Yuvraj Singh made runs four off eight balls.

Brief Scores: Himachal Pradesh 144/8 in 20 overs (Nikhil Gangta 40;Sangwan 2/39).

Delhi 148/0 in 11.4 overs (Pant 116 not out).

Result: Delhi won by 10 wicketsJammu and Kashmir 164/3 in 20 overs (Singh 43 not out;Harbhajan 2/12).

Punjab 141 in 19 overs (Vohra 53; Raza 4/16).

Result: J&K won by 23 runs. PTI BS ATBS.

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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