Hardik Pandya played a brilliant inning against Australia to give India a fighting chance in the first ODI which eventually led to the hosts winning. Pandya struck three sixes in a row for the third time in his 22-match ODI career. But, Pandya also played an unorthodox shot which left every Australian player stunned at M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Pandya scored his first boundary off the eighth ball he faced in an innings, a shot which would have gone into a fielder’s hands had he not timed it well.
But, nothing of sort happened as Pandya played a cute shot on the fifth ball of the 24th over. Stoinis was into his fifth over and was looking dangerous having taken two wickets already. He was looking dangerous but Pandya did not show much caution while playing him. He played a relatively low uppercut off the short ball, guiding it over the wicketkeeper Mathew Wade and skipper Steven Smith.
Wade and Smith were mere spectators as the ball went past them and towards the third man boundary for a four. Pandya’s shot was such that even MS Dhoni walked up to him and had a word, maybe he told him to not try the kind of shot he just played.
Though Pandya’s shot was full of risk it’s execution was perfect as he waited for the ball come to him and then just using the pace of the ball, helping it on its way.
Pandya went on a six-hitting spree after playing himself in. He scored 83 runs off 66 balls with the help of 5 fours and 5 sixes. His innings featured ginormous sixes. He was named ‘Man of the Match’ for his all-round performance, he took two wickets including that of Smith and Travis Head.
Copyright © 2024 IE Online Media Services Private Ltd. All Rights Reserved.