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India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to cricket to take two wickets for 22 runs in three overs during his appearance for Reliance in their first game of the DY Patil T20 tournament against ONGC. Notably, Hardik played his first match after after a four-month injury layoff. The DY Patil T20 tournament kicked off on Monday, February 26 at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy Cricket Ground in Navi Mumbai. As the newly appointed captain of Mumbai Indians, Pandya claimed the wickets of ONGC's opening batsman Eknath Kerkar (9, caught and bowled) and Rahul Tripathi (0, caught by Dev Lakra).
Hardik Pandya is back with a bang
Pandya is at the helm of a Reliance squad that includes players such as Tilak Verma, Nehal Wadhera, Akash Madhwal, and Piyush Chawla, competing against Bharat Petroleum. Pandya had been sidelined due to an ankle injury he sustained during a 2023 ODI World Cup group stage game against Bangladesh in Pune.
Following his recovery, which included resuming bowling and batting practice in his hometown of Baroda, the 30-year-old was given the green light by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore.
Ankle injury kept Hardik on sidelines of cricket
Hardik Pandya sustained an ankle injury during a World Cup game against Bangladesh while bowling. Initially expected to make a comeback during the World Cup, the severity of his injury ruled him out. Consequently, he missed the tour of South Africa and is set to return directly in the IPL 2024, in preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024. Last week, Pandya returned to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to participate in match simulations as a part of his fitness evaluation. After passing the fitness tests, he started his preparations for the Indian Premier League 2024 by participating in the DY Patil T20 Cup, where he successfully claimed two wickets upon his return.
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