Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned back to international cricket after a little pause post the Australian limited-overs series. He was back into the playing XI in the first T20I against India. Unfortunately, India lost the series opener against England and Pandya despite his contribution for the team was not quite the X-factor that he normally is. England won the game by eight wickets with Jason Roy scoring 49 and Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow scoring 28 and 26 * respectively.
Meanwhile, in the Indian innings, Hardik Pandya scored 19 off 21 balls including a four and a six. The six which he hit off Ben Stokes became the moment of the Indian batting innings as it took fans by surprise.
It was the 15th over as Hardik and Iyer were looking to go at the English bowlers and take India beyond 150. After hitting a six off Stokes, Hardik got another four runs up his sleeves even though he took his eyes off the ball. Being hit for a six, Stokes dropped it short and while Hardik didn’t keep his eyes on the ball, he kept his bat at the right position and guided the ball to the fence by working on its pace.
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Even the ICC was astonished by the shot which Pandya hit off Stokes and asked the fans to name that particular shot by the Indian all-rounder.
ICC Asks Fans To Name Hardik Pandya’s Shot in 1st T20I
Name this shot from @hardikpandya7 👀#INDvENG pic.twitter.com/4AwJzMTbxa
— ICC (@ICC) March 12, 2021
The Sofa
— Andy Jackson (@jacobskreek) March 12, 2021
https://twitter.com/IamSaketJha/status/1370395844495646721?s=20
Rather it should be 'Parallel back shot' ?
— aamir1682 (@aamir16821) March 12, 2021
gir pad ke shot
— Tushar Bakshi (@TusharBakshi02) March 12, 2021
Hardik's back is almost touching the ground…so it also be called The BackGround Shot
— Rajesh Khoth (@rajeshsirsa) March 13, 2021
Apart from Hardik, Rishabh Pant scored 21 and played a reverse-lap to Jofra Archer for a six. Shreyas Iyer to-scored with 67 and took India to 124 for 7 in their 20 overs. After scoring 19 with the bat, Pandya went for 13 runs off his two overs with the ball.
This happened after England won the toss and opted to field first. India were 22 for 3 inside the powerplay and didn’t really recover. It was a clinical effort from the England bowlers who never allowed India to get a move on.
Jofra Archer gave England the early breakthrough and ended with three in his spell. English bowlers attacked India with raw pace with Archer, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan and Ben Stokes all bowling together. Adil Rashid accounted for Kohli’s wicket. Jordan Wood and Stokes picked up a wicket each.
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