Hardik Pandya showed the world why he’s regarded as one of the best all-rounders going around in white-ball cricket as he smashed 53 runs off just 30 balls in the fourth T20I against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday.
The right-hander was slow off the wheels but picked up pace in the 17th over of the innings as he took a special liking to Jofra Archer.
The over bowled by Jofra Archer got Hardik into the groove and the big-hitter did not look back. He displayed brute hitting force as he smashed the likes of Archer, Jamie Overton and Saqib Mahmood to all parts of the ground.
Hardik Pandya faced criticism for his knock in the third T20I, which India lost. However, the all-rounder answered his critics in style by taking his team out of a difficult situation in Pune.
Hardik Pandya’s 53-run innings was studded with 4 fours and 4 sixes. However, in trying to raise the tempo of the innings towards the death overs, the 31-year-old lost his wicket off the bowling of Jamie Overton.
The biggest highlight of Hardik Pandya’s innings was the no-look six he hit off the bowling of Jamie Overton in the 18th over. Hardik cleared his front leg and smoked the ball over long-on.
The all-rounder held his shape perfectly and didn’t even bother to look where the ball was going. Hardik came out to bat with India in a spot of bother at 79/5 but formed a quickfire 87-run stand with Shivam Dube for the sixth wicket.
This is India’s second-highest partnership for sixth wicket or lower in T20Is. The record belongs to Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel, who had formed a 91-run stand against Sri Lanka in 2023 at the same venue.
Shivam Dube hits 50 on comeback
Left-handed batter Shivam Dube also had a good outing with the bat, scoring 53 runs off 34 balls to help India surpass the 180-run mark.
Shivam Dube took England’s ace Adil Rashid downtown and hit him for a few sixes, allowing India to stage a comeback into the contest after losing the top-order cheaply. Sanju Samson (1), Suryakumar Yadav (0), and Tilak Varma (0) lost their wickets in the second over of the innings, and the hosts were left reeling.
India kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. However, every batter kept going for big shots and in the end, it was Hardik and Dube who stayed at the crease for a long haul and putting some pressure back on the visitors.
Shivam Dube was not in the original squad for the ongoing series against England. He was included after Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out due to a side strain.
Owing to 50s by Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, India posted an above-par total of 181/9 in the allotted twenty overs.
Earlier, England captain Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bowl. This is the first time that Buttler has won the coin flip in the ongoing series.

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