Hardik Pandya just became the first men’s T20I player from India to have 50+ wickets and 500 career runs. The only other Indian is Deepti Sharma with 65 T20I wickets and 521 runs.
He achieved this record after dismissing Brandon King in his second over in the third match of the ongoing five-match T20 series against West Indies.
In limited-overs cricket, Pandya has been in strong form with the ball this season. With two four-wicket hauls, he has eight T20 wickets and six ODI wickets. Pandya bowled a superb spell of 4-0-19-1 on Tuesday in St. Kitts to contain the West Indies. The West Indies openers put up a half-century partnership before he gave India the breakthrough.
Asking about his performance, he quoted, “ I can probably say I can bowl four overs now as a third seamer or a fourth seamer. Yes, I used to bowl before. I used to be a filler in between when someone is not bowling well. I can probably say I can bowl four overs now as a third seamer or a fourth seamer where I can contribute equally as I do with the bat.”
“I’m very privileged to get the opportunity to even be the vice-captain. I have always enjoyed responsibility and it has added more and more to my game. Whenever I have taken responsibility, it has added a little more flair to my game because it makes me think more and when I think more, it adds more value to my cricket,” He added in his statement
Hardik Pandya, an all-rounder for India, stated that he had liked serving as vice-captain and captain of the squad. Pandya led the Gujarat Titans to triumph in their inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season back in April-May.
In the two-match T20I series against Ireland in Dublin, he took the Indian team’s captaincy for the first time. In the present five-match T20I series against the West Indies, Pandya is serving as India’s vice-captain.
