Cricket
Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant pose for selfie in middle of Afghanistan innings: ‘Photo lene ka tareeka thoda kezual hai’
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Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant decided to have some fun amid Afghanistan’s sorry batting against India as the duo posed for a selfie in the middle of the second innings of their Super Eight tie of the T20 World Cup in Barbados. The moment was captured just in the nick of time after Afghanistan lost their sixth wicket with Najibullah Zadran slapping Jasprit Bumrah straight to Arshdeep Singh at point. As India celebrated the wicket and the broadcast cut for a commercial break, Hardik and Pant grabbed the Spider-Cam and posed together, making for a perfect frame.
“Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya there, having fun with the camera,” Ravi Shastri said while on commentary.
Watch the clip below:
India could afford to do so given the ascendency they enjoyed over Afghanistan. After putting up an above-par total of 181/7, their bowlers had Afghanistan reeling at 102/6, with the asking rate climbing at the rate of knots. Hardik had bowled two overs and even though he went wicketless for 13 runs, scoring 32 off 24 balls on a surface where India’s openers Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma found batting difficult, his knock would give Pandya further confidence ahead of the remaining two matches against Bangladesh and Australia.
Pant and Pandya’s renaissance
Pant and Hardik’s forms have been a huge positive for India. Pant has sizzled in his promotion at No. 3 for India notching up scores of 36 not out against Ireland, 42 versus Pakistan. Pandya, meanwhile, hasn’t had too many opportunities with the bat, getting to bat just twice this far, but has been too good with the ball, picking up seven wickets, including 3/27 against Ireland and 2/14 against Pakistan. Pandya is cutting a figure that’s in stark contrast to his outings at Mumbai Indians just a few weeks ago. Hardik is a different player altogether while representing India and playing under Rohit.
Pant’s comeback is nothing short of a roller-coaster of emotions. Having met with a horrific car accident in late December of 2022, Pant was out of action the whole 2023, missing the all-important World Test Championship final and the 50-overs World Cup. Pant looked to be getting his groove back when he made his much-anticipated return to competitive cricket, captaining the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024. He did reasonably well there, scoring 446 runs even as the Capitals missed qualifying for the Playoffs, but it’s his performances here at the T20 World Cup that the world is getting to witness the Pant of old.
India are unbeaten in the T20 World Cup and following a dominating win over Afghanistan, the Men in Blue have their eyes set on another Asian rival – Bangladesh – whom they face next on Saturday. One more win will make it relatively easier for Rohit and his team to make it to the semi-finals. India’s final Super Eight game takes place on Monday, against Australia, in a rematch from the 2023 World Cup final seven months ago. It will also be the first time that India and Australia will face each other in a T20 World Cup since 2016.
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