India all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube showed that there are no days off in an ICC event as they began their bowling practice right after India defeated Zimbabwe in Chennai in the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 26.
Sunil Gavaskar and Varun Aaron praised both all-rounders' attitudes, saying they were pleased to see their determination to improve ahead of the key match against the West Indies.
India batters made merry, as Abhishek Sharma and Hardik Pandya hit fifties and Tilak Varma smashed a 16-ball 44* as India posted 256/4 in 20 overs. In response, despite Brian Bennett’s 97*, Zimbabwe only managed 184/6 in 20 overs and lost the game by 72 runs. India remains alive in the T20 World Cup semis race with this win.
Hardik allowed 21 runs in three overs and was wicketless. Dube was pricey, scoring 46 runs in two overs and taking only one wicket. During his tenure, he gave up two no-balls and four wides.
Hardik said right after being adjudged as the Player of the Match that he was heading back to bowl and keep himself ready for the next match.
See here:
????Look at the work ethic of Hardik Pandya. He scored 50, bowled 3 overs with an economy of 7, won POTM against Zim — and still did bowling practice after the game.
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) February 27, 2026
Champion Hardik Pandya — the MVP of the Indian cricket team. ???? pic.twitter.com/kTWc4Mf0NT
Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar, while speaking to official broadcasters, stated that the duo could have opted to rest, but their dedication to improving was remarkable.
"And in this game, I think it's the bowling that was the thing that you needed to learn from, which is why we saw Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube putting in the hard yards after the match was done. Most of the time after the match is done, people want to sit in the change room, have a little discussion, and have a little bit of fun. But I think that kind of hard work is something very, very impressive,” Gavaskar told broadcasters, quoted by India Today.
Gavaskar said that Hardik and Dube showed that they weren't ready to relax after the 72-run win, and it is a great sign for India moving forward.
"Suryakumar said that the bowlers could have done a little bit better. And while the presentation was going on, I just walked towards the pitch. I was next to the pitch, and what one saw was Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube still bowling with Morne Morkel there. They are making sure they're getting ready for the next match. They're not sitting on the 72-run victory. They're not sitting tight on that. They want to improve, want to get better, and that's a great sign," said Gavaskar.
Hardik expressed dissatisfaction with his ball-playing performance during the post-match presentation, and Aaron agreed. The former pacer pointed out that Hardik and Dube's effort demonstrates India's determination to win the World Cup.
"He's obviously disappointed with the way he went about with the ball today. He obviously bowled in the power play to get a wicket, but he couldn't get it. In the power play, he is working on deliveries, which he would like to work on in the game. That's a great sign.
If you're working on your game, even after the game, and look, this is a World Cup game. He's scored a 50 as an all-rounder, and he's bowled three overs. The first thing you want to do is put your feet up and rest, but he's not doing that. This just shows how determined India is to actually win this World Cup," said Aaron.
India will face the West Indies in a virtual knockout on Sunday, March 1, in Kolkata, with the victor advancing to the semi-finals.
