"Big match player" - Fans erupt as Hardik Pandya smashes 87 off 90 in IND vs PAK Asia Cup showdown
Hardik Pandya starred with the bat in the Asia Cup showdown between India and Pakistan at Pallekele in Sri Lanka on Saturday, September 2.
The right-handed batter smashed 87 runs off 90 balls, including one six and seven boundaries. The all-rounder took a cautious approach to help India fight back into the game before playing his natural game.
Pandya stitched together a valuable 138-run partnership with Ishan Kishan for the fifth wicket to recover the Men in Blue from 66/4. He was eventually caught by Agha Salman at cover off Shaheen Afridi in the 44th over, missing out on his first-ever ODI century.
The India vice-captain had earlier smashed 70* off 52 deliveries in his last ODI outing against the West Indies.
Fans on X lauded Hardik Pandya for rescuing Team India in the IND vs PAK Asia Cup showdown. One wrote:
"Hardik Pandya - the big match player!"
Here are some of the other reactions:
Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan show help India reach 266
A clinical batting show from Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan helped Team India reach 266 in 48.5 overs.
Apart from Pandya, Kishan smashed 82 runs off 81 deliveries, including two sixes and nine boundaries. The duo shared a 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket, breaking the previous record held by Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif (133) in the Asia Cup.
That came after Shaheen Afridi dismissed Rohit Sharma (11 off 22) and Virat Kohli (4 off 7) cheaply, while Rauf got rid of Shubman Gill (10 off 32) and Shreyas Iyer (14 off 9).
For Pakistan, Afridi starred with the ball, finishing with figures of 4/35. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf scalped three wickets apiece.
Pakistan will now look to chase down 267, having won the opening game against Nepal by 238 runs. Captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed, respectively, smashed 151 and 109* in that game.
The Men in Green are chasing their first win against India in ODIs since their win in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. They have lost to India in the 2018 Asia Cup and the 2019 ODI World Cup.
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