Hardik Pandya went on a rampage in the India vs Australia first ODI at Chennai. Pandya got India back into the series opener as he infused energy into the match. Pandya came to bat when India were struggling at 87 for 5 in the 22nd over. Pandya suppressed his natural instinct to attack straight away and go after the bowlers but not for long. As Pandya was nearing his half-century, he sensed an urgency to attack and get the run rate back on track. The all-rounder has loved hitting a leg spinner. He did it with Shadab Khan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 and he was about to do it to Adam Zampa as well.
Before his 8th over, Zampa had pretty decent bowling figures as he gave only 28 runs from 7 overs. But that was about to change and that too in epic proportions. Dhoni took a single on the first ball of the over and it was when Pandya decided to have a crack at the leggie.
Pandya cleared his front leg off the first ball he faced, he muscled it over the bowler’s head for a boundary. The straighter mid off fielder did not have a chance to stop that one as Pandya had dispatched it with disdain.
— Virat Kohli (@Cricvids1) September 17, 2017
The second ball was right in the slot where Pandya likes it. The ball was full and straight, Pandya struck that with a straight bat hitting it over straightish long off for a maximum. He was on 45 now and one hit away from his third half-century.
The third ball saw a similar treatment from Pandya, this time he struck that over long on for a maximum. The long on fielder was a mere spectator and Pandya got to his half-century from 48 balls.
The fourth ball from Zampa was in the slot again, he muscled it with a short arm jab using his bottom hand. The ball was hit towards straightish long on for a maximum and Pandya had once again made the hattrick of sixes. He took a single off the last ball and retained strike. Though Zampa had the last laugh as the all-rounder scored 83 runs from 66 balls.
