Hardik Pandya, the star all-rounder from India’s Vadodara, Gujarat had a warm welcome to his hometown on Monday after winning the T-20 World Cup.
He did a roadshow with his team members to celebrate their victory where lots of fans attended in order to receive him. Parami News reported Krunal Pandya who is Hardik’s brother was also present at the event.
However, despite being hampered by injuries and controversies recently, he delivered when it mattered most as he played a key role in India’s triumph at the ICC T20 World Cup.
In the final against South Africa, Klaasen was dismissed by him for crucial wicket during its chase of 177 runs. Bowling India through with the last over that fetched them David Miller and won them the game.
This tournament however brought redemption for Hardik who had been booed in almost every stadium across India during IPL 2024 after taking over captaincy from Rohit Sharma who has won IPL five times for Mumbai Indians (MI).
The all-rounder had come back into cricket since injuring his ankle in last year’s fifty fifty World Cup where internet trolls and fan wars ensued accusing him of betraying MI franchise, Rohit and his former team GT (Gujarat Titans) which he led to an IPL victory in 2022.
On June 29th, Barbados saw Virat Kohli (76), Hardik (3/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/18) end India’s 11-year ICC trophy drought as they were instrumental in Men In Blue beating South Africa by seven runs in the final.
Virat’s brilliant knock enabled India reach 176/7 whereas Bumrah proceeded to choke Proteas with pace as Indian bowlers took ten wickets out of nowhere restricting SA to 169/8 while chasing down.