Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently shared details of his conversation with Virat Kohli when he joined him at the crease during the memorable 2022 T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in Melbourne. In a dramatic encounter, India secured a thrilling four-wicket victory in the final over.
Chasing 160, India found themselves in deep trouble at 31/4 in front of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground. Just when the match seemed to be slipping away, Hardik and Kohli staged a remarkable comeback, forging a 113-run partnership for the fifth wicket and pushing the game to the last over.
Despite losing Hardik (40) and Dinesh Karthik in the final over, Kohli held his nerve, guiding India to victory by smashing an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls, featuring six fours and four sixes. Looking back on their partnership nearly 2.5 years later, Hardik Pandya shared that they always believed they could still win the game.
The all-rounder from Baroda mentioned that his only request to Kohli was to stay at the crease until the end. During an interview with the ICC (as quoted by Sportstak), Hardik Pandya stated:
“My first thought was obviously that we could do it. It looked like a very steep hill to climb, but for me, I’ve been in many games where you don’t lose a battle until you give up, right? So, it was about believing in ourselves, staying at the crease, and taking the game ball by ball, step by step.”
“Let’s see who cracks under pressure. My primary objective in this game was for Virat to play as long as possible. As soon as I walked in, my only message to him was that he had to stay until the 20th over,” he added.
Hardik Pandya disclosed that he assured Virat Kohli he would attack Mohammad Nawaz in the final over. He further elaborated:
“When Nawaz came on to bowl, I specifically remember saying, ‘I’m going to go after him.’ I knew I had to accelerate. I knew that if the ball landed in my arc, I was going to attack.”
“It was a great opportunity for us to win the game by being fearless because there was no room left for holding ourselves back—we had to play risky cricket. As soon as we targeted him, we could see panic setting in—the way players were running around on the field,” the all-rounder recounted.
Hardik Pandya Reacts to Virat Kohli’s Iconic Six Off Haris Rauf in 2022 T20 World Cup
The 2022 T20 World Cup India-Pakistan clash at the MCG had a thrilling finish, but Virat Kohli’s stunning six off Haris Rauf was a game-changer. The ICC later called it the ‘Shot of the Century.’ Hardik Pandya believed it shattered Pakistan’s momentum.
“Pure emotion, man. We were so excited. That shot (off Haris Rauf) was like breaking the opponent’s back. When you stay in the fight, you stay in the hunt, and a lot of things start going your way. This is one of those iconic games that will always be remembered,” Hardik concluded.
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