Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya became the first Indian player to achieve a unique double in ICC T20 World Cup history during his side’s match in the Super 8s against Bangladesh on Saturday. During the game, Hardik became the first-ever Indian to have 300-plus runs and 20-plus wickets in the tournament history. While batting, Pandya made a full-fledged return to batting form on a batting-friendly surface, making 50 in 27 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 185.19. While bowling, he got a crucial wicket from wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das.
In his T20 World Cup career, Pandya has scored 302 runs in 21 matches and 13 innings at an average of 27.45 and a strike rate of 137.89. He has also scored two half-centuries, with the best score of 63. Also, he has taken 21 wickets in these 21 games, with the best figures of 3/27.
Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi (546 runs and 39 wickets in 34 games), Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan (853 runs and 50 wickets in 42 matches), West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo (530 runs and 27 wickets in 27 matches), Australia’s Shane Watson (537 runs and 22 wickets in 24 matches) are other players to have accomplished this feat.
Coming to the match, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first. Openers skipper Rohit Sharma (23 in 11 balls, with three fours and a six) and Virat Kohli (37 in 28 balls, with a four and three sixes) put on an attacking 39-run opening stand. After early dismissals of the openers and Suryakumar Yadav (6), India was restricted to 77/3 in 8.3 overs. Then, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (36 in 24 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes), Shivam Dube (34 in 24 balls, with three sixes) and Hardik Pandya (50* in 27 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) pushed India to 196/5 in their 20 overs.
Dube-Pandya had a fine 53-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Tanzim Hasan Sakib (2/32) and Rashid Hossain (2/43) were the top bowlers for Bangladesh.
India needs to defend 197 runs to win and have a foot in the door for the semis.
India is in second place in Group 1 of Super Eights, with a win against Afghanistan and two points. Bangladesh is at the bottom place, having lost their game against Australia. This one is a crucial game for them to keep their Super Eights hopes alive while India will pretty much reach the semifinals with a win over Bangladesh.
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