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Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri described Hardik Pandya as the best T20 all-rounder in the business after the latter lifted his side to victory against Pakistan in a tense Asia Cup 2022 clash on Sunday (August 28) in Dubai.
Pandya was the Player of the Match for his brilliant all-round performance. He first claimed three for 25 with the ball before scoring a crucial 33* off 17 with the willow. The match went down to the wire. It needed a six from Pandya off Mohammad Nawaz in the last over to take the Men in Blue to victory with five wickets and two balls to spare.
Reacting to the all-rounder’s superb effort, Shastri took to his official Instagram handle and praised the 28-year-old:
“Needed the best T20 all-rounder in the business to power India across the finish line @hardikpandya93.”
Pandya himself took to social media to share an inspirational post. He uploaded two images, one in which he was being stretchered off the field during a 2018 Asia Cup match against Pakistan, and the other in which he was seen celebrating India’s win over the same opponents on Sunday.
The cricketer shared the post with the caption:
“The comeback is greater than the setback.”
India bowled first in the match and held Pakistan to 147 in 19.5 overs. Apart from Pandya's three-wicket haul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned with figures of four for 26, while Arshdeep Singh chipped in with two for 33. In reply, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja contributed 35 each before Pandya did the finishing job.
“I remembered everything” - Hardik Pandya on being stretchered off the field in 2018
In a chat with Jadeja after the game, Pandya recalled how he suffered an injury at the same venue against Pakistan during the 2018 Asia Cup. In a video uploaded on bcci.tv, he said:
“I remembered everything. I was being taken off the field in a stretcher, it was the very same dressing room. I feel a sense of achievement, to look back at everything that has happened and then come out and perform the way I did today. Journey has been a beautiful one.”
On hitting the winning six in the final over on Sunday, he stated:
“Seven runs didn’t appear too big to me, given the final over was being bowled by a left-arm spinner (Mohammad Nawaz). Plus I didn’t really care about the five fielders (being inside the circle). Even if they had 10 fielders manning the boundary, I’d still have whacked the ball.”
India will take on Hong Kong in their second Group A clash on Wednesday (August 31) in Dubai.
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