"I don't think many batters could have survived that delivery" - WV Raman on Shikha Pandey's dismissal of Alyssa Healy
WV Raman has pointed out that Shikha Pandey bowled an almost unplayable delivery to Alyssa Healy, which not many batters could have kept out.
Pandey bowled a peach of a delivery to the Aussie opener that both swung and seamed prodigiously to knock back her stumps. The dismissal brought India back into the game after they had posted a slightly below-par total of 118-9.
Unreeeeeeal! 😱 How far did that ball move? #AUSvIND https://t.co/D3g7jqRXWK
While reviewing the second T20I between India and Australia on Sony Sports, WV Raman was awestruck by the delivery bowled by Shikha Pandey. He elaborated:
"That's one delivery a lot of people are not going to forget for a long time. How much has that delivery nipped back. I have not seen something like that in a long long time. I don't think many batters could have survived that delivery either."
The former India women's team coach highlighted that Shikha Pandey's delivery had accounted for one of the most dangerous batters in world cricket. Raman observed:
"That was great to see, dismissing somebody like Alyssa Healy and she is one who can put the bowlers under the pump because she knows to play only one way and that is to keep attacking all the time and get boundaries."
Shikha Pandey was struck for a boundary by Healy off the first ball of Australia's innings. However, the canny swing bowler bounced back brilliantly to find the gap between the bat and pad to dismiss the Aussie wicketkeeper-batter.
"Shikha Pandey is following in Jhulan Goswami's footsteps" - Reema Malhotra
Reema Malhotra added that Shikha Pandey would have wanted to prove a point after being left out of the Indian team during the ODI series and the pink-ball Test. The former India cricketer said:
"Shikha Pandey got her debut cap from Jhulan Goswami and she is following in her footsteps, she knows that Jhulan does not play this format. The expression she had after taking the wicket, it was evident that she wanted to show that she was not played and she has these things to offer."
Reema Malhotra signed off by concurring with Raman that an unplayable delivery from Shikha Pandey had accounted for Healy. She stated:
"We know she has the genuine in-swinger but the amount that ball came in, it was unplayable. No batter could have played that ball. As many times you see that ball, you feel where was Shikha Pandey."
Ball of the century, women's cricket edition! Take a bow Shikha Pandey🙌🏻 #AUSvIND https://t.co/WjaixlkjIp
Shikha Pandey did not play the three ODIs and the one-off Test against Australia, with Meghna Singh and Pooja Vastrakar preferred over her. Although the early breakthrough did not help India win the encounter, she will hope to continue in the same vein in the final T20I and help the visitors finish the series on a positive note.