In the opening match of India’s T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli scored an incredible last-ball 4-wicket victory against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with the finest knock of his career. Hardik Pandya also played a crucial role in the win for Team India.
Having won the toss and bowled first, India restricted Pakistan to 159 by bowling first and Pandya took three wickets. Mohammad Nawaz, Haider Ali, and Shadab Khan were all dismissed by Hardik Pandya.
In a near impossible situation, Hardik stepped up with the bat to help Team India win. As the Men in Blue struggled at 31-4, the star all-rounder stepped into the crease. His 40-ball knock of 40 in 37 balls helped Team India put up 113 runs in partnership with Virat Kohli. It is impossible to overestimate Hardik’s contribution to India’s victory, despite his dismissal on the first ball of the 20th over.
As Hardik remembered his late father following the match, he broke down in tears. Hardik said he can never repay his father for the sacrifices he made, and how happy he would have been to see it.
The only thing I was thinking about was my dad. I haven’t cried about him. I love my son, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to do the same thing for him as my dad. Without knowing I’d get where I am now, he moved cities for a six-and-a-half-year-old boy’s dream. This is for him,” Hardik said on Star Sports.
Kohli, meanwhile, scored an unbeaten 82 in 53 balls, including six boundaries and four sixes.