Home
Rishabh Pant's maiden ODI century and Hardik Pandya's all-round show guided India to an emphatic five-wicket win over England in the series-deciding third match on Sunday. The visitors claimed the three-match rubber 2-1.
After India were in a spot of bother at 72/4 in a chase of 260, the crack team of Pant (125 not out off 113 balls) and Hardik (71 off 55 and 4/24) engaged in a battle to outdo each other, as the tourists completed the task with 47 balls to spare.
Hardik grabbed a career-best 4/24 as a disciplined India bowled out England for 259 with more than four overs left in the innings.
Pant was adjudged the player of the match for his unbeaten innings of 125 off 113 balls and as is the tradition in England, was given a medal and a champagne bottle for his efforts. As soon as he was done with his post-match interview, Pant crossed over to talk to former India coach Ravi Shastri, who is part of the commentary team for the host broadcaster, Sky Sports.
After a brief chat, Pant gifted his champagne bottle to Shastri much to the delight of the crowd. Shastri resumed his analysis for Sky Sports with the bottle kept on the side. The video went viral on social media. However, this doesn't end here.
When the Indian team started celebrating with the champagne bottles popped all over, former skipper Virat Kohli too offered one to Shastri. The images of the same were all over social media as even though Kohli offered, Shastri didn't take it after acknowledging the same. Kohli, who was captain under Shastri as the coach shared a close bond with the 1983 World Cup winner before the latter resigned as the head coach following the 2021 T20 World Cup.
England were on top, as India were struggling at 38 for three in the ninth over.
Suryakumar Yadav made 16 before a Craig Overton ball took off awkwardly for him to nick it to Buttler. India could have been in a bigger hole had Buttler not missed a stumping off Moeen Ali to give Pant a life on 17.
Pant and Hardik then stabilised the innings by mixing caution with aggression. The duo quickly put up a half-century stand to ensure India remained in the game, gradually taking control of the proceedings.
With a wide array of strokes at their disposal, both Pant and Hardik went about their task in a professional manner, rarely looking in any sort of discomfort.
Hardik got out to a magnificent catch by Ben Stokes, but a flurry of boundaries by Pant meant India had it easy in the end.
