It was a tense chase and India needed someone to step up. All eyes were on Hardik Pandya as he tried to steady the innings against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash on February 22.
Batting on 18 off 16 balls, Hardik decided to go big on the very first ball of the 15th over, bowled by spinner Keshav Maharaj. But he failed to get the distance he wanted and Tristan Stubbs safely completed the catch.
What caught even more attention was what happened next. As Hardik Pandya walked back to the pavilion, the cameraman focused on the stands where his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma was present. In a clip that quickly went viral, she was seen clapping after his dismissal, a reaction that surprised many fans watching the game.
Here is how Hardik Pandya got dismissed:
https://x.com/ridafatimafb/status/2025614397629153355
Click to watch this video directly on X
Check out Mahieka Sharma’s reaction on Hardik Pandya’s dismissal:
https://x.com/Tejashyyyyy/status/2025613535645216882
India had high expectations from the Vadodara-born all-rounder in this crucial 188-run chase. During his stay, Hardik hit one six and shared a 35-run partnership off 30 balls for the sixth wicket with Shivam Dube. However, he couldn’t convert his start into a match-changing knock.
The 15th over turned disastrous for India. After removing Hardik, Keshav Maharaj dismissed Rinku Singh for a two-ball duck, with Tristan Stubbs again taking the catch at the same position. Two balls later, Arshdeep Singh also handed Tristan Stubbs a simple catch in the same area.
Chasing 188, India were eventually bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs, suffering a heavy 76-run defeat in their first Super 8 match. Shivam Dube top-scored with 42 off 37 balls but the rest of the batting line-up struggled.
For South Africa, Marco Jansen starred with 4 for 22 in 3.5 overs, while Keshav Maharaj claimed three wickets to seal a dominant win.
