India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya became an unexpected star during the West Indies versus Papua New Guinea T20 World Cup match, but not for his cricketing skills. A technical blunder by broadcaster Hotstar during the T20 World Cup 2024 match between West Indies and Papua New Guinea left cricket fans scratching their heads. The incident occurred on June 2nd at the Guyana National Stadium. During this much-anticipated encounter between the co-hosts, viewers tuning in to Hotstar were met with a bizarre sight.
Instead of displaying the usual player statistics on the final scorecard, Hotstar mistakenly included a photo of Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. This unexpected error, while certainly amusing, left fans baffled as to how Pandya, who wasn't even playing in the match, ended up on the scorecard.
Hotstar's broadcast of the T20 World Cup match between West Indies and Papua New Guinea went viral for an unexpected reason – a technical blunder involving Indian star Hardik Pandya's photo.
Eagle-eyed viewers tuning in to Disney+ Hotstar on June 2nd were left bewildered when the final scorecard displayed Hardik Pandya's image instead of the actual players' statistics. This wasn't just a single instance – Pandya's photo inexplicably appeared over the names of several players on the West Indies and Papua New Guinea teams, including West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase, batsman Brendon King, and all-rounder Andre Russell.
The hilarious error, featuring Pandya in an old dark blue jersey, spread like wildfire on social media. Cricket fans worldwide shared screenshots and expressed their amusement and disbelief at the bizarre mistake by the broadcaster. Hotstar has yet to publicly address the blunder, but it's certainly an unforgettable moment in this year's T20 World Cup.
Following this event, Krunal Pandya's old remark on his own brother during Season 3 of the YouTube series 'What the Duck' garnered widespread attention where he humorously likened Hardik's appearance to the lively Caribbean culture.
“If you see a picture of Hardik as a child, you would think that this kid is from the Caribbean, not an Indian kid,” Krunal had said.
With India's T20 World Cup 2024's campaign kicking off on June 5, all eyes will be on Pandya as Men in Blue take on Ireland in New York. His performance will likely play a significant role in their quest to secure their second T20 World Cup title. Pandya showcased glimpses of his form in the warm-up match against Bangladesh, scoring 40 runs in 23 balls and taking a wicket to contribute to India's 60-run victory.
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