Hardik Pandya emerged as the star of the show in the Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. The all-rounder executed fine performances in both the departments as India trumped the neighbours by five wickets in a nail-biting encounter, which saw Pandya wrap the proceedings with a huge six.
The chase was not very big, but Pakistan’s clinical bowling kept them in contention until the final over. With seven required of the final over, Babar Azam ran short out of bowling options and was forced to hand the ball to a spinner – in this case Mohammad Nawaz.
The bowler started off strong and cleaned up a set Jadeja in the opening delivery of the final over. Dinesh Karthik, who joined the action for three balls, then passed the strike to Pandya in the second delivery and what followed next was sheer confidence.
The all-rounder played a dot in the third ball, which saw the equation get reduce to 6 runs off three balls, but Pandya gestured his partner Karthik at the non-striker’s end to not worry and leave the task to him. He then whacked a length ball by Nawaz over the long-on fielder for a six as India completed the 148-run chase with two balls to spare.
Speaking with Ravindra Jadeja, with whom he stitched a 52-run partnership for the fifth wicket, Pandya said he was not at all feeling the pressure and was waiting for the moment to capitalise on the bowler’s mistake. Such was his confidence that the all-rounder mentioned even if Pakistan had ten fielders on the boundary ropes, he would have still hit a six.
“Saath run mujhe kuch jyada badhe lag nahi rahe they, kyunki left arm spinner hain. Aur paanch fielder hain ussey mujhe kuch farak nahi padh raha tha. Kyunki agar dus fielder hote, dus fielder bahar hote, mereko toh maarna hi tha. (Seven runs didn’t look like a mountain to me because a left arm spinner was on. And Pakistan had five fielders on the fence, but even if they had ten, or ten outside, I would have definitely hit a six),” said Pandya, leaving Jadeja in chuckles.
