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Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has lavished praise on Hardik Pandya for his remarkable resurgence in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, describing him as a valuable asset to the Indian Team.
Hardik Pandya played a pivotal role in India’s victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa. He bowled the crucial final over, defending 16 runs with aplomb, conceding just 8 runs and claiming two wickets.
His heroic performance earned him thunderous applause from fans at the Kensington Oval Stadium in Barbados. During the post-match presentation, Rohit Sharma acknowledged Pandya’s exceptional final over, prompting fans to erupt into chants of his name, filling the stadium with fervor.
Acknowledging the support, Pandya expressed gratitude to the fans, a stark contrast to the earlier backlash he faced. Despite previously being targeted and abused by fans, especially after his removal as Mumbai Indians skipper in IPL 2024, Pandya’s resilience and stellar performance have won admiration and respect once again.
Dinesh Karthik took to Instagram to commend Hardik Pandya for his remarkable comeback to the Indian team, referring to him as a ‘True Asset’. In a video response to a question from an Indian cricket fan, the former RCB wicketkeeper lauded Pandya’s resurgence and impact.
“They say certain scripts are written in the stars. And for Hardik, the last four months have been hard. Really hard, I feel for him. But that last over, and this whole tournament, he’s contributed with the bat”, Karthik said in the video posted by Cricbuzz on Instagram.
“He showed at different points of time why he is an asset to this side. With the ball, always a good fielder. But most importantly, on that big day, when it mattered the most, he delivered that last over. Who is ever going to forget that? Rohit’s kiss to Hardik Pandya post his interview. Such emotional moments”, the 38-year-old further said.
Following his retirement from all forms of cricket after IPL 2024, Karthik also believes fans were unjust in booing Pandya during the Indian Premier League 2024.
“It’s been great to see what he’s done in this tournament. I’m the happiest for him. I think he deserves it. He’s worked very hard for this. And I don’t think it was fair that people booed him”, he further said. Have a look at the complete video below.
Pandya showcased stellar performances with both bat and ball throughout the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He kicked off with a notable 3-wicket haul against Ireland and continued his impact with 2 wickets each against Pakistan and USA. Contributing with the bat, he played crucial innings including 32 runs against Afghanistan and an unbeaten 50* against Bangladesh during the Super 8 stage.
As a finisher, Pandya delivered a quickfire 27* against Australia and a crucial 23 against England in the semi-final, although he remained wicketless in both matches. His standout moment came in the final, where he shone with a match-winning spell of 3 wickets for 20 runs, including a stunning final over.
