Indian skipper Rohit Sharma hailed all-rounder Hardik Pandya after the team’s comprehensive win of 50 runs against Bangladesh at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua in the Super 8 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup. 

Pandya scored a fine knock of 50 runs of 27 balls with the help of four fours and three sixes after India was put into bat. Thus, the right-hander played an instrumental role in helping India post 196 runs on the board. 

Pandya added 53 runs with Shivam Dube, who scored 34 whereas he added another crucial alliance of 35 runs with Axar Patel. Furthermore, Pandya bagged the important wicket of Bangladesh opener Litton Das, who has an impressive record against India. 

Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation, “I mentioned in the last game as well, him 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.”

Rohit was pleased that they adopted an aggressive approach and was happy with the team’s collective batting show. 

Rohit added, “I have been talking about this for a long time now. It’s about going there and putting that to work. Considering everything we played really well, and adapted to the conditions. There’s a little bit of wind factor here, overall we are very smart, and 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.”

India will next take on Australia at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia on Monday.