Everything seems to be going in favor of the Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya who has made a very strong comeback after being away from cricket for a long time due to injury and fitness issues. He led Gujarat Titans which was a new team in the IPL 2022 and made it win the title in its debut season. Not just his captaincy was good but his batting and bowling were also superb in the league and it won’t be wrong to say that he led from the front.
His wonderful performances in the IPL 2022 left the selectors with no option other than calling him back in the team for the South Africa series in which Junior Pandya once again performed pretty well. After that, he was given the duty of leading the team on the Ireland tour and once again he performed very well in every aspect of the game. Till now, it is quite certain that the Gujarat cricketer will definitely play an important role in India’s campaign in the T20 World Cup which will take place in Australia later this year.
Hardik Pandya once again performed superbly in the first T20I of the 3-match series against England and helped his team in taking a lead of 1-0 by winning the first T20I by 50 runs. The match was played yesterday at the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground, Hampshire and Hardik gave an all-round performance as first he scored 51 runs (33 balls, 6 fours & 1 six) and then he also dismissed 4 England batsmen (Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran).
The toss was won by the visitors and they decided to bat first. The Indian team put up a total of 198/8 on the score board with the help of Hardik Pandya’s fifty and useful contributions of Deepak Hooda (33 euns, 17 balls, 3 fours & 2 sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (39 runs, 19 balls, 4 fours & 2sixes). The hosts could manage only 148 in 19.3 overs and the highest scorer for England was Moeen Ali (36 runs, 20 balls, 4 fours & 2 sixes). With this brilliant performance, Hardik Pandya who was adjudged as the Player of the Match also becomes the first Indian to score a fifty and take 4 wickets in an international T20I match.
While talking to mediapersons after the match, Hardik Pandya said that he is enjoying the game at the moment and the last time he played a T20 in England, he took 4 wickets and scored odd-30 runs so this time he knew that he is the first Indian cricketer to score a fifty and take four wickets.
He added that he needed a break during which he prepared his body and made it ready so that he can make the maximum use of opportunities that he gets. The skipper of Gujarat Titans is of the opinion that it is always about giving 100 percent and if a player is not able to give 100 percent, he should not play.
The cricket fraternity and fans were all praises for Hardik Pandya and this is how they lauded the cricketer:
#1
Terrific start by team India in the T20 series. Set the ground running and didn't stop till the job was done. Liked the intensity and approach. And @hardikpandya7 what a star! Great achievement getting a fifty and fourfer in a T20I. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/I55bdqlmhI
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 7, 2022
#2
Fabulous win last night! Proud of the way the boys approached the match right from the start and came out on top of it. Batters were fearless and bowlers very clinical. Special mention to @hardikpandya7 for a brilliant all-round performance. 👏🏻🇮🇳#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/58cnd8A6zh
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 8, 2022
#3
Great win Team india in 1st T20 spacial performance @hardikpandya7 with bat and ball ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #INDvsENG
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) July 8, 2022
#4
IPL winning captain.
Lead series victory in Ireland.
Man of the match award in England.Hardik Pandya continues his dream phase in T20 format. pic.twitter.com/Zm0jJq7u1Q
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 7, 2022
#5
When he’s at 100% Hardik really is a pretty amazing cricketer.
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) July 7, 2022
#6
What a win for team india 🇮🇳 in the first T-20 and what performance by @hardikpandya7 . Absolutely brilliant @BCCI
— Mithun Manhas (@MithunManhas) July 8, 2022
#7
Hardik on fire 🔥 🔥🔥 @hardikpandya7
— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3) July 7, 2022
#8
𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 🇮🇳
What a performance by @hardikpandya7 🔥
Congratulations on a great debut @arshdeepsinghh 🤩 pic.twitter.com/b6ZWUdthCf— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) July 7, 2022
#9
5️⃣1️⃣ with the bat & 4️⃣-3️⃣3️⃣ with the ball 🙌🔥
All-round excellence from Hardik has #TeamIndia win by 50 runs & take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series 💪💙#OneFamily #ENGvIND @hardikpandya7 @BCCI pic.twitter.com/cPYHJLO3Ya
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) July 7, 2022
#10
👊🏏 PAPA PANDYA SUPREMACY! Hardik Pandya becomes the first Indian to score a fifty and pick up a 4-fer in the same T20I game.
📷 Getty • #INDvENG #ENGvIND #HardikPandya #TeamIndia #BharatArmy pic.twitter.com/p7Wnw8LaVx
— The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) July 7, 2022
The second T20I will be played tomorrow at Edgbaston cricket ground, Birmingham.
