Indian cricket team all-rounder Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal endured a big loss on Saturday as their father, Himanshu Pandya died due to a cardiac arrest in Mumbai. Himanshu could not survive a cardiac arrest on Saturday morning. Both Hardik and Krunal have often credited about their parents’ contribution especially their father in supporting their cricket careers. Baroda skipper Krunal Pandya has left the bio-bubble created for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Vadodara to reach his home. Krunal left the bubble in order to be with his family and as a result, he would not be playing for Baroda in the ongoing domestic T20 tournament.

“Yes, Krunal Pandya has left the bubble. It is a personal tragedy, Baroda Cricket Association mourns this loss of Hardik and Krunal,” Baroda Cricket Association CEO Shishir Hattangadi quoted by ANI. The 29-year-old Krunal has played three matches so far in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament, managing to take four wickets.


Baroda has so far won all its three matches in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The side is at the top of Elite Group C. Meanwhile, Hardik is not playing the ongoing T20 trophy but he began his training for the upcoming white-ball series against England. During the break, Hardik had been spending time with his wife Natasa Stankovic and their newborn.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took to Twitter to pay condolences to the Pandya family on Saturday.

Earlier, Hardik has often spoken highly of his father – Himanshu who was running a small car finance business in Surat. But he shut it down and moved to Vadodara to help his sons get better access to training facilities. Himanshu enrolled both Hardik and Krunal in former India wicketkeeper Kiran More’s cricket academy in Vadodara.