Hardik Pandya's habitual game of sixes denies KL Rahul's ton in India's World Cup opener against Australia

Hardik Pandya's six in the final moments of the game made KL Rahul's century opportunity in the opening game slip through. Pandya hit a six when Rahul was playing with 75 runs. It forced Rahul to rework his strategy to get to his ton in the opening match. Rahul who was not after the ton when Virat Kohli was present in the crease was explicitly disappointed after he hit a six to inadvertently finish the match. He was hoping to get a four and was planning a six next ball to reach the century, which remained elusive. Rahul remained unbeaten on 97 as India defeated Australia by six wickets.

Hyderabad:In all, there were five sixes hit in the opening match between India and Australia in ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, wherein the hosts defeated the visitors by six wicketsafter bundling the Kangaroos for 199 runs, at Chennai's Chepauk MAC Stadium on Sunday.

Two of which will be remembered for a long time. One, a spoiler six by Hardik Pandya. Second, a match-winning hit by KL Rahul who was unbeaten at 97 when he inadvertently went all the way over the boundary.

Hardik walked into the middle after Virat Kohli was dismissed for 85. Kohli's dismissal made Indian fans shift their focus to Rahul whom they were banking on letting Kohli get his century making him inch towards the record for most ODI hundreds. Rahul was batting with 75 runs at that point of time.

Unwanted six-Hardik Pandya while facing his sixth delivery dispatched Josh Hazlewood over the rope, in his characteristic style. Pandya picked Hazlewood charging down the wicket, converting the delivery into a full one and posted it over long-off.

The scoreboard was ticking at 176 right before the six, ruining it for Rahul who had to reprogram his game towards the ton that never came on Sunday evening.

In the next over (40.1), Rahul hit his first six of the innings. By the end of the 41st over, Rahul was playing with 91 runs and Hardik with 11 off 8 balls and the former retained his strike by a single off the last ball, hoping to somehow pull off his ton when India was five runs away from victory.

The electrified crowd was heard chanting 'Rahul' over and over in the end. In the 41st over, Rahul had planned to hit a four and then a six so he would get his century, in the team's opening World Cup match. He ended up hitting a match-winning six in the second ball of the over.

He was seen squatting on his haunches soon after the hit expressing his disappointment. Rahul, rose, and raised his bat to the crowd. Hardik who is a habitual hitter was seen celebrating the victory, on the other hand.

For India, it was a tonless match for any individual players. First, prolific World Cup finisher Virat Kohli departed at 85 when he was expected to inch closer towards Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI hundreds. At present, Kohli has 47 centuries to his credit.

Social media outcry-I don't know what's wrong with Hardik Pandya. Once This guy robbed Tilak Varma's half century, and now he robbed KL Rahul's century. He came and then hit a six when Rahul was batting at 79 runs. Rahul can easily score 100, but this guy has other plans, wrote a fan in X.

Hardik Pandya is the most SELFISH Player i have ever seen! First he ruined Tilak verma half century by hitting six and Now Kl- Rahul century(sic), wrote another.

Who else felt that six from Hardik Pandya was not at all necessary? Hardik stole much deserved century from KL Rahul(sic), another one wrote.