Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan showered praise on vice-captain Hardik Pandya for his outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup 2024. Pathan acknowledged that he had been critical of Pandya, particularly during the IPL, but commended his remarkable journey to lifting the prestigious title.
Hardik Pandya emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Indian team in the tournament, playing a pivotal role in ending India’s 11-year wait for an ICC trophy at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. His transformation from facing criticism in the IPL to receiving resounding applause in the national colors was nothing short of extraordinary. Pandya’s contributions with both bat and ball were crucial in India’s triumphant campaign, solidifying his place as a key performer on the world stage.
Hardik Pandya played a pivotal role in India’s victorious campaign in the T20 World Cup, making significant contributions throughout the tournament. His standout moment came in the final, where he defended 16 runs in the crucial last over to secure the title for India. Pandya’s batting prowess was evident as he scored 144 runs across six innings at an impressive average of 48.00 and a strike rate of 151.57. Moreover, he excelled with the ball, claiming 11 wickets in 25 overs with an economy rate of 7.64, showcasing his all-round excellence and vital contributions to the team’s success.
Irfan Pathan hailed Hardik Pandya’s comeback, saying that the all-rounder showed a lot of character and made a huge difference to the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024. Speaking on Star Sports, he explained:
“It’s been a special journey for Hardik Pandya. Coming back from all the criticism, I was actually the one who criticized him because he was not performing during the IPL time. He was making a lot of mistakes at that time.”
“From there to coming back and winning the World Cup has been special. He showed the character, he performed. With Rohit Sharma, with Jasprit Bumrah, the kind of performance he did to make a difference to the Indian cricket team has been so special.”
Journey is very similar to Hardik’s – Irfan Pathan correlates his career with India’s vice-captain
Irfan Pathan correlated his journey with Hardik Pandya, remembering the difficult times he faced in 2007. He stressed that the Indian vice-captain also went through a lot and it’s a special journey for him. He added:
“When I see his journey leading up to this World Cup, it reminds me of my journey as well because I remember I was dropped from the team before the 2007 T20 World Cup. I was playing for India A in Zimbabwe and Kenya. I was actually going through a hardship where I really struggled with my body and hard work,”
“I remember going to the MRF Pace Foundation and working in the quietness, and that journey is very similar to Hardik’s because he went through a lot as far as performance, criticism and booing are concerned. It’s been a special journey to remember for a lifetime,” he concluded.
