WATCH: “I want to put this team in difficult situations,” Hardik Pandya explains why he handed the ball to Axar Patel in last over
Pandya didn't complete his quota of four overs and it was expected that he'll deliver in the last over.
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Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya
India’s stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya answered the buzzing question at the post-match presentation on why he handed the ball to spinner Axar Patel in the last over against Sri Lanka. Axar defended 13 runs in the final over, helping India win the match by two runs on Tuesday (January 3) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India are leading the three-match T20I by 1-0.
Pandya didn’t complete his quota of four overs and it was expected that he’ll deliver in the last over. However, as he gave it to Axar, the former explained that he wanted to put India in a difficult situation.
Watch the video below:
“We might lose a game here and there but it’s alright. I want to put this team in difficult situations because it will help us in big games. Bilaterals we are very good at and this is how we are going to challenge ourselves. To be honest, all the young guns got us out of the situation today,” Pandya explained at the post-match presentation.
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Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda put the team in a better position
India were asked to bat first and were in a terrible situation at the beginning. Before reaching the three-digit mark, half of the XI had headed back to the pavilion.
But Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel put the team in a better position with their quickfire. While Hooda smashed a boundary and four maximums to score an unbeaten 41 runs from 23 balls, Axar added 31* off 20 balls with the help of three fours and a six, taking India to a defendable 162/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Shivam Mavi and Shubman Gill were the two debutants for India. The former had a dream debut as he completed his four-wicket haul.
“The conversation was very simple, I have seen him (Mavi) bowl well in the IPL and I know what are his strengths, just back yourself and don’t worry about getting hit. I just told him to simply bowl. I told him, ‘I am backing you. Even if you get hit, it’s fine.’ If the same situation is there, I will take the new ball,” Pandya added.
Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka was the highest scorer for his team with 45 runs from 27 balls (with three fours and three sixes). When Umran Malik dismissed him, India, to some extent got the upper hand but Chamika Karunaratne kept the hopes alive but still, their side failed to complete the needed two runs.
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