Hardik Pandya manages to pull off what no bowler has managed in ODIs since 2017 against Steve Smith

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya turned out to be the standout bowler in the third ODI against Australia with the new ball.

SportsTak

• Wed • 22 Mar 2023

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya turned out to be the standout bowler in the third ODI against Australia with the new ball. Pandya managed to dismiss Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith for a three-ball duck. This was Smith's first duck in the format in over six years.

In the 13th over, Smith went for a booming drive away from his body but all he managed was a thick outside edge to wicketkeeper KL Rahul. This was the fifth time Pandya had dismissed Smith in ODIs.

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir was the last bowler to dismiss Smith for a duck. In 2017 at the Gabba, Brisbane, Smith got out for a golden duck. He edged the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. Earlier, he had been dismissed for a seven-ball duck by Trent Boult in 2016. He has a total of five ducks in his ODI career.

Pandya was formidable during his new ball spell. First, he got the wicket of opener Travis Head who scored 33 runs from 31 deliveries in the 68-run opening partnership. He followed it up with Smith's wicket in his second over. Then he got rid of in-form Mitchell Marsh. Pandya flattened Marsh's middle stump. In his first four overs, he conceded 20 runs and picked up three wickets.

Smith has not been impressive in the ODI series. He scored 22 runs in the first ODI at Wankhede Stadium. Pandya had dismissed Smith in that ODI as well. The Aussie batter went chasing after a good length delivery away from his body and edged one to the wicketkeeper. In the second ODI, he did not get to bat as openers Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh chased down the small target in just nine overs.

Pandya has been in form with the ball. Last month, he picked up four wickets for just 16 runs against New Zealand in a T20I encounter at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad.