In November 2021, Hardik Pandya, an Indian cricket player, got hurt and couldn’t bowl much. People weren’t sure if he could still play well for the country.
But by October 2023, he’s back in shape and ready for the World Cup. After lots of training and getting better, he can both bat and bowl again.
India has been looking for a player like him who can bowl and bat well, and now Hardik Pandya is just what they need.
Let’s check out five times he played really well for India:
5. 33 vs Pakistan- 2022
It was an exciting cricket match between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Dubai. Pakistan scored 147 runs before they were all out. India started their batting nervously and lost wickets quickly, but Hardik Pandya remained calm. He scored 33 runs from just 17 balls, including four fours and a six. With India needing 21 runs from 12 balls, Hardik hit two boundaries in a row against Haris Rauf. Then he hit another boundary, helping India win the match.
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4. 92* vs Australia- 2021
In the last game against Australia in December 2022, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja played really well for India. They helped India score a total of 302 runs without losing too many wickets. Pandya made 92 runs, and Jadeja scored 66 runs, and they both stayed not out till the end.
Their partnership was crucial as they added 150 runs together. Pandya hit seven boundaries and one six, while Jadeja hit five boundaries and three sixes. Together, they made 110 runs in the last 10 overs of the game.
After batting, Indian bowlers did a great job. They stopped Australia from scoring too many runs and restricted them to 289 runs. This helped India win the last game of the series.
3. 83 vs Australia- 2017
Before this game, Hardik Pandya had only scored one century and taken one five-wicket haul in his cricket career. But in this match, he didn’t worry about those numbers. He played amazingly and helped India win the first ODI of the series all by himself.
The pitch in Chennai was different from typical Indian pitches, having more bounce. Pandya’s skill at hitting sixes, along with MS Dhoni’s smart playing, helped India recover from a tough situation of 87 for 5 to reach a total of 281 runs. Pandya himself scored 83 runs brilliantly.
Despite some drizzle, the target was adjusted to 164 runs in 21 overs. Pandya then showed his bowling skills, using his knuckleball technique to dismiss Steven Smith and Travis Head. India won the match by 26 runs.
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2. 51 vs England- 2022
In the first T20 cricket match between India and England in 2022, India won against England by 50 runs at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. This happened because of Hardik Pandya’s great performance.
Pandya got the title of Player of the Match. He not only scored his first 50 runs in a T20 match but also took four important wickets when England was trying to chase the target.
India batted first after winning the toss. Pandya gave a boost to the score by hitting 51 runs in 33 balls. India scored 198 runs in their 20 overs. In the second half of the game, Pandya took out four key players from the England team: Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran.
1. 108 vs Sri Lanka- 2017
Hardik Pandya did something amazing in a cricket match against Sri Lanka. He hit his first century in Test cricket, which helped India get a strong lead in the game. Pandya scored 100 runs in 86 balls, hitting seven boundaries and seven sixes. He got even faster in the second half of his innings, going from fifty to a hundred in just 25 balls, with two fours and six more sixes. India finished their innings with 487 runs. Sri Lanka couldn’t catch up and lost the match by a lot, with India winning by an innings and 171 runs
READ MORE:
- Let’s take a look at the top 5 matches between India and Pakistan in T20 World Cup history
- Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Reality Check
