Hardik Pandya bore a sorry look for the most part of the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka. He had fair reasons for it. His gun T20I bowler Arshdeep Singh created an unwanted world record for bowling the most front foot no-balls in a T20I. He overstepped as many as five times in his two overs at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. India gave away 7 free hits on Thursday and bowled four more wides, allowing Sri Lanka to post 206 for six batting first. There was no end to Hardik’s and India’s woes as they lost four wickets for just 34 – Hardik himself was out for 12 – in just 4.4 overs. Deepak Hooda too fell for not too many as India were tottering at 57 for 5, still needing 150 runs off just 65 balls at almost 15 runs per over. Most sides would lose the match by a huge margin from this situation. But not India. In fact, they made such a strong comeback that the chase was alive till the last over.
It was all thanks to a stunning partnership between Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav. Axar, who appeared to be batting on a different surface against a different bowling attack than the rest of the Indian batters, started to play shots from the word go. He was so good that he outscored Suryakumar by some distance in the partnership.
Watch: Hardik’s shell-shocked reaction as Arshdeep’s 4th no-ball saves Shanaka
The asking rate, however, was still daunting and Sri Lanka were firmly in the driver’s seat till the 13th over. Things would take a drastic turn in the next over. Axar hit a hat-trick of sixes off Wanindu Hasaranga and his partner Suryakumar hit one as India took 26 runs off the over to set the cat among the pigeons. The crowd and the Indian dressing room got their voices back. The atmosphere stayed the same for the next two overs with both Axar and SKY going hammer and tongs.
Things appeared gloomy again when Suryakumar was out for 51 towards the end of the 16th over. Just when the balance shifted heavily towards easy Sri Lanka once again, young Shivam Mavi hit a couple of sixes and a four off the last three balls of the 18th over to make India believe again.
Sri Lanka, however, held their nerves in the final two overs to close out the match but just before the match was officially over – India needed 1 run off 17 balls, practically impossible without a miracle or two – captain Hardik Pandya was seen shaking hands with the Indian players and support staff. Normally players shake hands with teammates and the opponents after the match is over.
Photos of Hardik walking up to Jitesh Sharma, the fielding coach T Dilip, and Shubman Gill and shaking their hands one by one with the match still going on went viral.
Although India had the slimmest of chances of winning the match from that situation, the fans were not happy to see the Indian captain starting post-match handshakes with the last ball of the match still remaining.
“In bowling and batting, the powerplay hurt us. We made some basic errors, which we shouldn’t be making at this level. Everyone knows what it is, The learning for us is we should be focussing on what we can control,” Hardik said after India’s 16-run loss.
With the series locked at 1-1, the decider will be played in Rajkot on Saturday.
