Dubai: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya bowled an impressive spell in the Champions Trophy fixture against Pakistan on Sunday as his team needed him to step up after Mohammed Shami left the field with an ankle issue. Also, he became the joint leader in terms of most wickets against Pakistan in the ICC ODI events along with Courtney Walsh and Ashish Nehra.
Coming into the match, Hardik had picked seven wickets from four matches against Pakistan in the ICC ODI events. He added two more wickets to his tally to take nine wickets from five matches against Pakistan with a strike rate of 26.6. Walsh has scalped nine wickets from three matches with a bowling average of 11.33 and a strike rate of 20 against Pakistan. Nehra has taken nine wickets as well with a strike rate of 26.6.
India fight back by sending back the Pakistan openers 👊#PAKvIND #ChampionsTrophy #Cricket #CricketReels
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Hardik finished with the bowling figures of 8-0-31-2 in the contest against arch-rivals. He first dismissed Babar Azam in the corridor outside off and the batter nicked it behind the stumps. Gloveman KL Rahul made no mistake in collecting an easy catch and Babar walked back to the pavilion. Up next, he broke a crucial partnership brewing between Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan by dismissing the former. Hardik bowled a short delivery to Saud and he pulled it towards deep mid-wicket. Axar took a brilliant catch with a sprint in the deep and made the left-handed batter walk back to the dugout.
Pakistan suffered a batting collapse in the latter part of the innings and were reduced to 222/8 from 151/2. The team lost six wickets from 71 runs. In the end, Pakistan managed to post 241 on the scoreboard.
