Hardik Pandya recalls T20 World Cup final moment, reveals conversation with Rohit Sharma, says 'going to bowl...'

In 2024, Hardik Pandya experienced a tumultuous year, marked by significant highs and lows. After facing boos from Mumbai Indians(MI) fans in IPL, he led India to victory in the T20 World Cup, only to lose the captaincy once again. Despite these challenges, Pandya continued to perform, contributing runs and taking wickets whenever the team needed him. He has faced multiple setbacks in his career due to injuries, including a stress fracture in his back that required surgery and missing the 2023 World Cup due to an ankle injury. Nevertheless, he has bounced back, reaffirming his position as India's top all-rounder.

Hardik Pandya has had many memorable moments throughout his nine-year career, but none can compare to his performance on June 29, 2024. With India facing intense pressure, Hardik delivered two crucial overs that transformed his image from a national villain to a beloved hero. While Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah received significant praise for their roles in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, it was Hardik's pivotal 17th and 20th overs that played a vital role in securing the victory.

India's star all-rounder Hardik Pandya recently opened-up in an interview with ICC, where he recalled final match against South Africa and discussed how he managed to stay calm in the intense pressure of the match.

"Just before the ball, I just told him (Rohit) that I’m gonna go wide to Klaasen and I just knew that he's gonna expect a ball which is on the stumps. His leg was a little to the leg-side, so I knew that he's gonna try to hit me there and that’s when I, just before my run-up, just looked at him and said I'm gonna go slow because I didn’t set a field for a slower ball. I had to outfox him or I had to be a little one up in the game so he’s not aware of what ball is coming, because the way he was hitting it was just tremendous. That just opened the door for us," recalled Hardik.

Pandya also shared details about his approach to dismissing the formidable Heinrich Klaasen.

He said, "There wasn't much spoken. Rohit and I have played together for so many years. He knows my character, my personality, and how much I value cricket awareness. Just before the ball, I told him that I was going to bowl wide to Klaasen. I just knew he would be expecting a delivery on the stumps. His stance was slightly leg-side dominant, so I anticipated he would try to hit me there."