Team India delivered a flawless performance against Bangladesh in their Super Eights clash, taking a giant leap towards securing a semi-final spot in the T20 World Cup with a 50-run win in Antigua. However, the story of the match belonged to Hardik Pandya, the 30-year-old all-rounder who shone brightly with both bat and ball. Kuldeep Yadav was also instrumental in limiting Bangladesh to 146/8 with his brilliant three-wicket spell.
India crush Bangladesh, Pandya steals the show
Pandya's unbeaten 50 off just 27 balls was a masterclass in power-hitting. His knock not only propelled India to a formidable total of 196 for 5, but also served as a powerful statement to his critics. While questions lingered about his recent form, particularly his role as a big-hitter in the IPL, Pandya silenced the doubters with his belligerent display.
Pandya finds form under pressure
While Pandya's knock was the highlight, it was a team effort that secured victory for India. Kuldeep Yadav's 3 wickets restricted Bangladesh to a modest 146 for 8, showcasing India's overall dominance. This comprehensive win is a significant boost for India's World Cup aspirations.
Pandya's stint with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL saw him coming up the order in batting, potentially impacting his big-hitting prowess. Additionally, the criticism he faced during his captaincy stint with the Mumbai Indians may have dented his confidence. However, when given the platform to unleash his natural game in the slog overs, all those doubts vanished. His brutal assault in the final five overs added a crucial 62 runs to India's total, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure. This match served as a turning point for both India and Hardik Pandya. India's clinical performance puts them in a strong position for the semi-finals, while Pandya's return to form is a welcome sign for the team's overall balance and firepower.
Hardik literally turned the boos into cheers after his form slump in IPL 2024 while leading Mumbai Indians.
Pandya earns captain Rohit's praise
Rohit Sharma, who Pandya replaced as MI captain in the IPL 2024, didn't shy away from heaping praise on the star all-rounder. Rohit admitted that Pandya batting well puts India in a good stead.
“I mentioned in the last game as well, Hardik Pandya batting well puts us in a good stead. We want to finish well after the top 5, 6, Hardik being Hardik we know what he is capable of. He is a very important player for us, if he can keep doing that, it will put us in good positions. Excitement and if we discuss something with the bowler and when it comes off, it's nice. Everyone when it came to our bowling adapted well and we discussed those things and they did well,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation.
On playing aggressively with the bat Rohit said:
“I have been talking about this for a long time now. It's about going there and putting that into work. Considering everything we played really well, adapted to the conditions. There's a little bit of wind factor here, overall we are very smart, overall we were good with bat and ball. All eight batters need to play their role, whatever it is. We saw one guy get 50 and we got 197, in T20 I don't believe we need to get fifties and hundreds, what matters is the pressure you put on the bowlers. All the batters from the word go played like that and that's how we want to play as well. There is a lot of experience in the squad and we back them."
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