New Delhi [India], August 18 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday congratulated wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for becoming the fastest batter to hit 100 sixes in Test cricket.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister lauded Pant as a "fearless match-winner".
"A century of sixes for Rishabh Pant! @RishabhPant17 has smashed his way into the record books, becoming the fastest batter to 100 sixes in Test cricket. A spectacular achievement from a fearless match-winner. Wishing him many more towering sixes, memorable knocks and match-winning moments for India!" the Chief Minister said.
Pant is the first Indian batter to complete 100 sixes in Test cricket and the overall fourth batter to do so.
He achieved this record during the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, scoring 66 in 69 balls, with eight fours and two sixes at a strike rate of over 95.
Pant now has 100 sixes in Test cricket, with New Zealand icon Brendon McCullum (107 sixes) and England legend Ben Stokes (138) above him and Adam Gilchrist (100 sixes) tied with him.
Reaching the milestone in just 4,918 balls, he has also taken the least number of balls to reach the milestone, beating Gilchrist (6,578). His balls per six of 49.2 is the best among the batters with a century of sixes.
Pant's search for a century continued, as he got out for 66 during the second innings of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Galle. This year in two Tests, he has scored 186 runs in three innings, with a best score of 81 and a strike rate of 73.80. Pant has not scored a Test century since his twin tons against England at Leeds last year.
Coming to the match, Sri Lanka have been set a target of 372 runs as Asitha Fernando and Prabath Jayasuriya skittled out India for just 193 runs, ending the second session of the first Galle Test on a high. Earlier, Sri Lanka made 284 in the first innings in response to India's 462, and the Shubman Gill-led side took a big lead of 178 runs in Galle.
Dinusha and the wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella added 146 runs for the sixth wicket and kept Indian bowlers at bay, but the seamer Prasidh Krishna dismissed Dickwella for 80 runs in the 62nd over. Sonal stuck around to get a ton, but Suthar (4/76) and Jadeja (3/57) denied Sri Lanka a chance to score bigger.
Brief Scores: India: 464 and 193: (Rishabh Pant 66, Devdutt Padikkal 44, Asitha Fernando 4/31) and Sri Lanka: 284 Sonal Dinusha 100, Niroshan Dickwella 80, Manav Suthar 4/76). (ANI)
"Fearless match-winner": Delhi CM congratulates Rishab Pant for completing 100 Test sixes
