Hardik Pandya names the top 3 matches he has been a part of
India and Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya has picked the 2016 T20 WC match against Bangladesh and the IPL finals of 2017 and 2019 as the top three matches he has been a part of in his career so far.
In a Live Instagram session with KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya spoke about the intense final over in the T20 WC against Bangladesh. The all-rounder was put under pressure by Mushfiqur Rahim, but managed to hold his nerve to take India over the line.
He talked about how skipper MS Dhoni and veteran bowler Ashish Nehra helped him decide the lengths to bowl. Pandya credited the senior players for helping him overcome the pressure after being hit for two successive boundaries.
"I remember, Mahi bhai and Nehra bhai coming to me... I said I will go with a bouncer. They said it can backfire, can get an edge over the keeper for a boundary. So I decided to go outside off stump."
He further revealed that the two narrow victories against Rising Pune Supergiant and CSK in the IPL 2017 and 2019 finals respectively are also among his favourite matches.
All three matches mentioned by Pandya were won by a margin of just one run.
"It was one of the best matches I've played along with with IPL 2017 and 2019 finals."
IPL 2017 final highlights
IPL 2019 final highlights
Hardik Pandya starred in an eventful over in 2016 T20 WC
The match against Bangladesh is remembered for Mushfiqur Rahim's premature celebrations, and how India believed in themselves till the last moment to edge past their sub-continental rivals.
The Bangladesh keeper hit two successive boundaries to bring down the required runs to two in three balls. However, his hopes were put to rest as Bangladesh somehow succumbed to a hat-trick of dismissals to hand India a one-run win.
Later, Rahim was even mocked for his controversial tweet, where he tried to take a dig at India for losing the semi-final match against West Indies.
