T20 World Cup 2024: During Star Sports' post-match coverage of the West Indies vs. Papua New Guinea Group C game in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, Hardik Pandya appeared over Roston Chase's name in a comical gaffe.
Viewers were shocked to see Hardik Pandya's image instead of West Indies batsman Roston Chase after Chase scored an undefeated 42 to lead his team to victory. Fans on social media responded to the error with humorous comments as the picture became viral on X.
The error that occurred during the broadcast reminded me of previous remarks that likened Pandya's way of life and demeanour to that of a normal Caribbean cricket player.
Pandya¡¯s brother, Krunal, once humorously noted, "If you see a picture of Hardik as a child, you would think that this kid is from the Caribbean, not an Indian kid." This sentiment was echoed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who remarked in a 2018 interview, "I met Hardik Pandya the other day, it seemed like he is Jamaican-born. He can't be from Baroda!"
Pandya's current form has been talked about a lot despite the confusion.?Before the T20 World Cup, Pandya's IPL 2024 performance had been lacklustre, both as a bowler and a batsman. But he showed everyone his abilities in the warm-up match against Bangladesh, where he scored a rapid forty off just 23 balls and claimed a vital wicket. This was a critical performance as he took over as vice-captain and looked to lead India to yet another T20 World Cup victory.
The tweet also brought about a welcome shift in the negative feedback Hardik Pandya has received on social media after taking over as Mumbai Indians captain?from Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League.?
With his continued vice-captaincy for the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pandya has the responsibility of giving Team India the much-needed balance. In India's warm-up match against Bangladesh, he picked up a wicket and played a magnificent hand of 40 in 23 balls.
Hardik Pandya?is an essential part of the Indian cricket squad. His pace-bowling ability as an all-rounder provides much-needed balance to the team. He's a great asset since he can close games out with the bat and contribute crucial wickets. It is his role to lead by example and perform consistently, especially now that he has the additional duty of vice-captain.
India kickstart their hunt for a second T20 World Cup title on June 5, taking on Ireland in New York.
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