"Played the wrong card" - Tom Moody on GT skipper Hardik Pandya giving the final over to Noor Ahmad over Mohit Sharma vs RR in IPL 2023
Tom Moody reckons that Hardik Pandya made the wrong choice by giving the crucial final over to debutant spinner Noor Ahmad in the team's IPL 2023 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The former Australian cricketer opined that Pandya had a lot of choices, which might have resulted in some confusion. He also pointed out how Gujarat Titans (GT)'s premier bowlers Rashid Khan and Alzarri Joseph were taken to the cleaners, which might have put the Gujarat captain off-guard.
Here's what Moody said during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo after Hardik Pandya and Co. lost the encounter:
"I don't have a problem with him (Hardik Pandya) bowling out (in the first eight overs) because they were dominating the game there. He bowled four overs for 1/24, great job. I felt there were a couple of key bowlers in that lineup that just didn't have their night, Alzarri Joseph and Rashid Khan, and you'd rarely say that in the same sentence.
"A person who can bowl 150 kmph, and the best leg spinner in the world. It's easy to point a finger at the captain, but he's offered opportunities to his best two options, and they haven't had their best night.
"You just wonder whether because there were so many options that he [Hardik Pandya] was nearly spoilt for choice and played the wrong card."
A gem of a knock from Shimron Hetmyer and a brilliant fifty from the skipper has helped the Royals with a superb victory 🔥
📸: IPL
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With seven runs required off the final over, Pandya made a bold decision by handing the ball to left-arm spinner Ahmad. The move backfired as Shimron Hetmyer smashed a stunning six off the second ball of the over to seal the game for Rajasthan.
While Joseph proved to be expensive in the game, Mohit Sharma bowled a fantastic spell upfront, giving away just seven runs from two overs. Many fans were surprised to see Pandya not hand the ball to Sharma in the final over.
"Noor Ahmad doesn't have that experience, but Mohit Sharma does" - Amol Muzumdar questions Hardik Pandya's decision
During the discussion, former cricketer Amol Muzumdar emphasized that Mohit Sharma is an experienced campaigner who has done well in the cash-rich league.
He stated that giving the ball to someone like Noor Ahmad, who is still very inexperienced, may not have been the right move by Gujarat. On this, Muzumdar said:
"You need to take instinctive decisions on the ground as a captain. You need to think on your feet. I feel Mohit Sharma could have had one more over. Yes, Noor Ahmad got Sanju Samson out, but sometimes you need to pull back a little bit.
"Noor Ahmad doesn't have that experience, but Mohit Sharma does. He's played under MS Dhoni and MS Dhoni used to use him very nicely."
Ahmad was brought in as an 'Impact Player' by Gujarat in the second innings. The Afghan spinner started off well by claiming the prized wicket of Sanju Samson.