India all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Saturday shared his views on Pakistan’s dismal batting performance against his side in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 fixture at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
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Pakistan were on course to score around 300-plus total when they were batting at 155-2 in 30 overs. The tide changed when skipper Babar Azam was dismissed for 50 by India pacer Mohammed Siraj.
It sparked a collapse and the side were dismissed for just 191.
India captain Rohit Sharma led the chase with a blistering 86, and the two-time champions eventually romped home in 30.3 overs with seven wickets in hand to maintain their unbeaten record against Pakistan in the history of the tournament.
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Hardik Pandya said he knew India was in the game as Pakistan captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan settled the side with a timid batting approach.
Babar-Rizwan partnership was the turning point for us. They weren’t attacking and we were never out of the game.
– Hardik Pandya #INDvPAK | #INDvsPAK | #BabarAzam pic.twitter.com/7RUjORD7wp— Haider Khan (@76haiderkhan) October 14, 2023
“Babar [Azam] and [Mohammad] Rizwan were timid,” Hardik Pandya said. “They didn’t take any chances, which is why we thought we were always in the game. There wasn’t much in the pitch for the bowlers. They didn’t try going for shots or attacked us, which is why we were able to bowl dot balls.
“I have seen that if two players bat in the same way, if one gets out, then it opens up a lot of doors.”
