'When his country needs him': Twitter erupts in praise as Hardik Pandya smashes crucial 50 vs Bangladesh

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya shone brightly with a splendid half-century against Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup 2024. The Super 8 clash is being held at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda.

In a crucial moment, with India struggling at 108/4, vice-captain Pandya stepped up to steer his team to a formidable total. Pandya, exhibiting immense composure, ensured he stayed on the crease till the end, shifting the momentum in India's favour at a critical juncture.

Understanding the conditions well, Pandya initially played cautiously, allowing himself time to settle. Once set, he aggressively countered the Bangladeshi bowlers, pulling his team out of a precarious position. His partnership with Shivam Dube, who scored a valuable 34, was vital, as the duo added 53 runs together.

After Dube's dismissal, Pandya took charge, unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes. He concluded his innings with an unbeaten 50 runs off 27 balls, boasting a strike rate of over 185, including four fours and three sixes. This stellar performance propelled India to a strong total of 196. Notably, Pandya became the first No. 6 batter to score a half-century for India in T20 World Cup history.

Fans on Twitter erupted in praise for Pandya's crucial knock, lauding his ability to stand tall under pressure and lead the team from a tricky situation.?

Here are some of their reactions:

During the mid-innings break, Pandya shared his thoughts on the first innings and his performance, stating, "Wicket looked alright, the par would've been 180 and we got 197, it's a good score here. Hopefully with the bowling we have, need to keep it tight and should get the job done. At the time Dube went, couple of wickets were lost and had to take time, did well to recover and he made sure he took against the spinners and we were able to stitch partnerships."

Pandya's heroics with the bat have given India a solid platform, and with a strong bowling lineup, they are now in a promising position to secure victory against Bangladesh.

At the time of writing, Bangladesh had reached a score of 108 for 4 at the end of 15 overs. Najmul Hossain Shanto was at the crease with 40 runs off 31 balls, accompanied by Mahmudullah, who had scored 7 runs off 5 balls.

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