Hardik Pandya demonstrated his allround capabilities in Team Indias exhilarating clash with Afghanistan at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday June 20. With impactful performances from both Hardik and Suryakumar Yadav the Men in Blue posted a formidable total of 181 runs in their allocated 20 overs.
India won the toss and decided to bat first. The decision did not offer a beneficial result, as Rohit Sharma was removed in the third over. The Men in Blue were able to form a few collaborations. However, Afghanistan struck every time, halting the momentum until Hardik joined Suryakumar in the middle.
Suryakumar Yadav was the aggressor, and Hardik preferred to sit back and play second fiddle. Following Suryakumar’s departure, the ace all-rounder unleashed some strokes, including a stunning 98-meter six against the wind.
Hardik Pandya concluded his knock while attempting to clear the boundary having scored 32 runs off 24 balls which featured three boundaries and two sixes.
Fans rejoiced at the sight of Hardik’s resurgence as the T20 World Cup approached its climax keeping the fans on their toes. He had a solitary batting opportunity preceding the clash with Pakistan in New York where he scratched together a mere seven runs.
Here’s some reactions:
“I think people will understand who the better all-rounder is any day. You can’t compare any all-rounder to Hardik Pandya. He is the best whenever he plays for India in ICC tournaments,” a fan wrote.
“Happy Tears what a shot. Glimpse of peak Hardik Pandya. He is well and truly back,” another fan chimed in.
“Jiwan hardik pandya jaisa chahiye IPL mein bilkul nhi chalta, worldcup mein Dhoom machata hain,” wrote another fan.
How has Hardik Pandya fared with the ball in the T20 World Cup?
The all-rounder arrived in the United States following a disastrous IPL 2024 campaign with the Mumbai Indians. He was moved from the Gujarat Titans to Mumbai and was named captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. The action did not sit well with supporters, who chastised him throughout the tournament.
The boos and gossip had a toll on his performance, and Mumbai ended bottom in the points table, missing out on the playoffs.
However, it appears that Hardik Pandya has put his IPL 2024 performances behind him, as he has performed admirably thus far in the mega event. He took seven wickets in three matches ahead to the Super 8 match against Afghanistan. He was joint-highest wicket-taker with Arshdeep Singh.