Hardik Pandya slams the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in T20s

What's the story?

Hardik Pandya registered the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in T20 cricket in the first semi-final of 2020 DY Patil T20 tournament in the match against BPCL on Friday.

The Background

The all-rounder, who was out of action since September last year due to the back injury he sustained during India's home T20I series against South Africa, made his much-awaited comeback in the 2020 DY Patil T20 tournament. Representing Reliance 1, the 26-year-old scored 38 off 25 balls apart from picking up three wickets in his first match upon returning to the field after five months.

On Tuesday (March 3rd), the flamboyant Pandya, whose fitness is being closely monitored ahead of India's upcoming ODI series against South Africa, grabbed the headlines with his all-round exploits against CAG. The Mumbai Indians star, who scored 105 off just 39 balls in a whirlwind knock that included eight fours and ten sixes, followed it up with a sensational display of bowling, finishing with the figures of 5/26 in four overs.

The heart of the matter

Meanwhile, a fit-again Hardik Pandya has once again proved that he is currently in the form of his life by smashing 158* off just 55 balls in the semi-final of the 2020 DY Patil T20 tournament against BPCL on Friday. Pandya, who reached his century off just 39 balls, has once again underlined his big-hitting prowess by smashing the likes of Shivam Dube, Rahul Tripathi, and Sandeep Sharma all over the park.

By this breath-taking knock, which comprised of six fours and a whopping 20 sixes, Pandya has surpassed Shreyas Iyer for the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in T20 cricket. Iyer, who had scored 147 off 55 balls for Mumbai against Sikkim in the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, held that record previously.

What's next?

This is what the entire Indian cricketing fraternity was waiting for (witnessing a fully-fit Hardik Pandya at his usual best), given the 2020 T20 World Cup is just seven months away. Now that he is back with a bang, expect Pandya to play a pivotal role for the Men in Blue in the three-match ODI series against the Proteas (from March 12th) as well for Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians in 2020 IPL.