Hardik Pandya is an absolute superstar, in limited overs cricket for India. He is just the sort of all rounder, any team would love to have. He can bowl nippy deliveries, and can field like lightning. His main role however, is to smash sixes and provide the batting, fire power whenever needed. Pandya can provide impetus, to the innings in the death overs, and also can strike big when, the asking run rate is high.
This post is about one such innings, by Pandya which changed the course of the innings. An innings which appeared to be going somewhere around, 160 but ended up at 195. Pandya was the wrecker in chief, as he bullied his way to 60 off just 21 balls, at a strike rate of close to 300!
Season – 2020
Match – Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals
Situation – Mumbai at 102-4 in 13 overs.
Pandya came to the crease, at the fall of Pollard. Mumbai was sitting pretty at 102-4 after 13 overs and, was targeting around 170. However, Pandya played such an unbelievable cameo, that they reached much more than expected. The lean batsman from Gujarat started a bit slowly, as the first ball 9 balls produced just 8 runs for him. Then, he just took off and the balls started to, sail over for sixes.
Pandya goes berserk!
Ankit Rajpoot was bowling the 18th over, of the innings. Pandya totally laid into him. The first ball was a full toss, and was pumped by him for a six. Two singles followed. Fourth ball of the over was hit, for a six over long off via a helicopter shot. Next ball was a poor delivery. A full toss at waist high, was thumped for six over square leg. Last ball of the over was no different. Another full toss, was smashed for six over mid wicket.
27 runs came off the over including three consecutive sixes, of last three balls as Pandya reached 33 in 14. More punishment followed, in the last over. Kartik Tyagi was bowling the last over, of the innings.
Second ball of the over was pulled, for a six over cow corner. Then, two consecutive fours were hit on, two successive deliveries over extra covers. The next ball was again heaved, over long off for a flat six. Last ball of the over, and the innings was yet again muscled for a six, as Mumbai finished the innings on a high.
Over all, Pandya hammered 60 in 21, which included 7 sixes and 2 fours. Mumbai finished with 195 on board, and had set up a daunting target, to their opposition.
Watch the video here:
