Hardik Pandya had an amazing turnaround in 2024, as he went from being booed as Mumbai Indians captain during the IPL 2024, to becoming a hero for Indian team fans as he bowled the match-winning final over in the T20 World Cup 2024 summit clash against South Africa in Barbados.
Hardik Pandya, India's best pace all-rounder and one of the architects of the country's T20 World Cup victory, spoke with the ICC in an interview, reflecting on the thrilling final against South Africa and how he kept his cool in a high-pressure situation.
As South Africa chased 176 runs to win their second ICC title, Heinrich Klaasen was smashing Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground and had scored 52 in 26 balls with 5 sixes and 2 fours.
South Africa was 151/4 when Rishabh Pant hurt his knee and a short break was taken to address the injury after 1the 6th over. As Hardik Pandya bowled the 17th over, he bowled a wide delivery, and Klaasen in his momentum edged the ball to Rishabh Pant.
South Africa went from being 151/4 in a chase of 176 to 169/8 after 20 overs, losing the final by 7 runs to India in a heartbreaking finish.
Pandya also provided details about his technique for dismissing the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen.
"There wasn't much spoken. Rohit and I have played together for so many years. He knows my character, my personality, and how much I value cricket awareness. Just before the ball, I told him that I was going to bowl wide to Klaasen. I just knew he would be expecting a delivery on the stumps. His stance was slightly leg-side dominant, so I anticipated he would try to hit me there," Pandya told ICC.
"Just before my run-up, right before I started, I looked at him and was about to say, 'I am going to bowl a slower one.' But I hadn’t set a field for a slower ball. I had to outfox him, to be one step ahead in the game so he wouldn’t anticipate the delivery. The way he was hitting was just tremendous. That moment, I think, opened the door for us,” he added.
Hardik Pandya revealed that he has always thrived under such pressure in big games and these situations bring the best out of him. He then spoke about bowling the last over in the T20 World Cup final, with David Miller of strike, with 16 runs needed.
"I have always thrived in and enjoyed these high-pressure situations; they bring out the best in me. I have always visualized myself bowling the last over or scoring the winning run in a World Cup final. In Barbados, there was a strong breeze blowing toward the dressing room side. If he wanted to drag me, he would have to hit against the wind, which increased the chances of a mistimed shot.
My strength would have been a stump yorker, but we deliberately went outside off-stump for a specific reason—if he wanted to hit us, he had to do it against the odds, not in his favorable zone. That was pure situational awareness and understanding of our strengths. I think that’s why we remained calm and composed with our plans,” Pandya added.
"Rohit and I spoke after the game as well. When the ball went up in the air, it initially looked like it would land inside the 30-yard circle or that a fielder would have to run in. But then we saw the wind carrying it farther and farther, and it just kept going—it didn’t stop.
And obviously, what Surya did at that moment, with such presence of mind and calmness, was sheer brilliance. We won as a team, but for me to play such a crucial role—it feels surreal. It’s a dream that actually came true.
It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. The relief of the past six, seven, and eight months just washed over me. I’m really, really proud of how I stood strong. Maybe I didn’t show much emotion, but everything I had been going through just came out at that moment. The pressure, the burden I had been carrying, just lifted, and I thought, ‘Yes… finally, I did it for my country,’" Pandya said.
(ICC inputs)
