Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has hailed all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the game-changer amid the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Pandya has been a consistent performer for India in the white-ball formats and has delivered the goods for the team.

The all-rounder is a vital cog in India’s wheel in the ongoing T20I showpiece and has been in rich vein of form. After getting dismissed cheaply in the opening clash against the USA, Pandya scored a brilliant knock of 52 runs off just 28 balls with the help of four fours and as many sixes to lift India’s score to 209. 

Furthermore, the right-arm seamer returned with figures of 2-21 in his quota of four overs. Thus, he was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance.

Mohammad Kaif wrote on X, “For me Hardik Pandya will always remain the man for India in big games. Finals of 2024 World T20 and Champions Trophy, he made the difference. Focus is never on him but he proves to be the game-changer. #INDvPAK:”

On the other hand, former Mumbai Indians and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard is hopeful that we value Hardik Pandya as a cricketer and not remember him for his off-the-field controversies.

Kieron Pollard said in an interview with TOI, “I just hope and pray one day that we continue to remember Hardik Pandya for what he has actually done on the cricket field. Rather than the expensive watches and the cars and all that.”

 “My first thought of him, again, someone who’s excited, someone who had that youthful sort of exuberance coming into sort of the unknown world, but still just being himself. And again, I think that is what took me aback because normally when guys come in into a setup like a MI, they’re normally shy. But he wasn’t shy. He was confident. And I think that was what, you know, took me,” added Pollard.

Pandya will look to deliver against Pakistan at Colombo.