The year 2022 just keeps getting better for star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya. After spearheading Gujarat Titans as their captain and delivering the IPL trophy in their maiden season, Pandya has returned to international cricket like he never went away.
Returning as a much more mature and composed customer, Pandya has already displayed his ecstatic and exuberant talents. Therefore, even when the run rate was continually climbing above 10 heading into the final three overs of the contest, concerns were dismissed because Pandya was on the pitch against Pakistan.
In the Asia Cup encounter against India’s arch-rivals at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai, life came full circle for the 28-year-old. It was at the same venue and against the same opponents where Pandya suffered a serious injury during the 2018 Asia Cup encounter and had to be stretchered off the pitch.
He required a back surgery and struggled to recover his form and fitness. It forced him to miss the better part of three years of competitive action in cricket and even on his return, he relapsed and struggled to make a breakthrough. As a result, Pandya had been in and out of the Indian side for a while until IPL 2022.
On Sunday, however, with millions of eyes glued to the screens catching the intense match-up between India and Pakistan, Pandya stood tall and delivered. The all-rounder took three wickets in the first innings to help the team skittle out the opposition for just 147.
He then proved his mettle and showed his newfound maturity with the bat. Starting cautiously and taking the game deep along with Ravindra Jadeja, Pandya went berserk in the penultimate over and slammed three boundaries to bring the asking run rate equation down.
Pandya then sealed the fate of the contest with a powerful six off Mohammad Nawaz in the final over which ensured India’s win by a margin of five wickets.
In a video shared by BCCI, Pandya was seen reminiscing about how he had gotten injured in 2018 and how he had to struggle to get back to his best.
“I was remembering it all. I was stretchered off at the same venue against the same opponent in the 2018 Asia Cup. You feel a sense of achievement because the things that have happened in the past, today I got an opportunity. The journey is beautiful. The fruits of our journey come to us, but behind the scenes, a lot of people do not get credit who walk along with us,” said the Player of the Match between India and Pakistan.
