While Virat Kohli gathered all his well-deserved laurels for a super knock against Pakistan, which helped India win their T20 World Cup 2022 opening encounter in the MCG by 4 wickets, all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s contribution in the win cannot be ignored.
First, with the ball, he picked 3/30 in 4 overs after Akshar Patel went for 21 runs in his one over and didn’t bowl again. Along with Arshdeep Singh’s 3/32, Pandya helped keep Pakistan to just 159/8 in 20 overs despite half-centuries from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood.
Then after India was on a verge of collapse at 31/4 in 6 overs, Hardik Pandya added 113 runs with Virat Kohli for the 5th wicket and let him play freely while anchoring and running hard at the other end to feed him the strike.
Even though he fell for 40 runs in 36 balls, his innings was one of the keys that India winning by 4 wickets, with Kohli becoming the Player of the Match for his 82* with 6 fours and 4 sixes.
Hardik Pandya also turned emotional as he interacted with broadcasters Star Sports after the game. Hardik could be seen teary-eyed as he remembered the sacrifices made by his late father during the former's early childhood.
“Agar vo mujhe khelne ka mauka nahi dete, toh main idhar nahi khada hota. Itna bada sacrifice karna, bacchon ke liye poora city shift karna. Main nahi kar sakta, main apne bacchon se bohot pyaar karta hu. Unke liye sab kar lunga, but uss samay pe jab 6 saal ke the dono bhai, tab city aur business sab shift karna.. bohot badi baat hai. I will be grateful forever (If he hadn't given me a chance, I won't be standing here. He made a big sacrifice, he shifted to a different city for his kids. I love my kids so much but I can't do that. We were six at that time, and he shifted an entire city and his entire business. It was a big thing),” Hardik said as he turned emotional.
He also talked about Virat Kohli’s two sixes in the 19th over to Haris Rauf and how that changed the tide of the game toward India, given that the 20th over was to be bowled by a spinner.
“Those sixes from Virat Kohli were the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed, they were extremely crucial at that stage of the game. Else we would have had to do something more terrific,” said Pandya.
Pandya revealed how he changed his thought process in such pressure-cooker situations and said, “I have overcome the fear of failure and now I don’t bother whats going to happen. I respect everyone’s opinion but for me, I have always enjoyed these high-pressure games. I don’t want to perform in a dead rubber game where the team is already cruising through. I like to score those 40-50 which the team needs most.”
“I said it even if we lose I am proud of how we fought. As a team, we have worked hard. So even if we had lost I would have a smile. We gave everything and somewhere I have accepted sport will give ups and downs,” he added.
(Star Sports inputs)
