Asia Cup: Life comes full circle for Hardik Pandya after guiding India to win vs Pakistan

PTI

Dubai, August 29

Stretchered off the field due to a career-threatening back injury against the same opponents at the same venue four years back, Hardik Pandya feels a “sense of achievement” after guiding India to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in their Asia Cup opener here.

Pandya dished out an all-round effort, first returning with figures of 3/25 and then playing an unbeaten 17-ball 33 to guide India home on Sunday.

“Happy to get this win because it was very important for us. Our nerves were checked, as a team we were challenged as well. Loved the way he (Ravindra Jadeja) came out and played as well,” Pandya said in a video posted by BCCI. “I was recollecting everything from being carried on the stretcher and the same dressing room. You feel a sense of achievement after all the things happened and again getting an opportunity today.”

Pandya credited former Indian team physio Nitin Patel, who is currently the head of BCCI Sports Science, and current strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai for his successful comeback.

“That journey was very beautiful, we get the fruits of the journey but behind the scenes whoever has worked with me never get credit. So, I always believe in giving credit to the person who deserves. Nitin Patel, Soham Desai, I will give credit to them for whatever comeback I have made,” the all-rounder said.

Pandya said he was taking things slow and would have “fancied” his chances even if India needed 15 runs rather than the seven scored in the final over to win the game.

“In a chase like this, you always plan over-by-over. I always knew that there is one young bowler (Naseem Shah or Shahnawaz Dahani) and also one left-arm spinner (Mohammad Nawaz). We only needed 7 off the last over but even if we needed 15, I’d have fancied myself. I know the bowler is under more pressure than me in the 20th over. I try to keep things simple,” he said.

“Seven runs didn’t look very big to me. I was least bothered about the left-arm spinner (Mohammad Nawaz) and five fielders outside the circle because whatever the situation was, I had to hit,” he added.

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