Overview:
Hardik Pandya has made history as the first fast-bowling all-rounder in T20Is to record 100 wickets and 1,000 runs. Over 122 matches, he has scored 1,939 runs at an average of 28.10 and a strike rate of 141.53, laced with six fifties and 101 sixes.
Hardik Pandya joined an elite group of T20I cricketers on Sunday by achieving the rare combination of 1,000-plus runs, over 100 sixes, and 100 wickets. He became only the third Indian to reach 100 wickets in the shortest format, joining the ranks of Arshdeep Singh (109 wickets) and Jasprit Bumrah (101 wickets). In the third T20I against South Africa, Pandya picked up 1/23 in three overs, taking his career wicket tally to 100 in 123 games, at an average of 26.78. His record also features three four-wicket hauls, with best figures of 4/16. Hardik’s girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, took to social media to hail the star player.
Here’s the Instagram story of Hardik’s girlfriend Mahieka Sharma
Hardik Pandya has now joined an exclusive list of T20I all-rounders who have achieved the triple milestone of 1,000 or more runs, 100 or more sixes, and 100 or more wickets. He is in the company of Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, who has 2,883 runs, 133 sixes, and 102 wickets, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi with 2,417 runs, 122 sixes, and 104 wickets, and Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh, who has scored 3,180 runs, hit 131 sixes, and taken 109 wickets in T20Is.
Hardik Pandya has made history as the first fast-bowling all-rounder in T20Is to record 100 wickets and 1,000 runs. Over 122 matches, he has scored 1,939 runs at an average of 28.10 and a strike rate of 141.53, laced with six fifties and 101 sixes.
In the match, India, after winning the toss, chose to field first against South Africa. Wickets fell consistently, with Arshdeep Singh producing a fiery spell of 2 for 13 and Harshit Rana taking 2 for 34. Spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav added two wickets each to the tally. South African captain Aiden Markram was the only notable scorer, finishing on 61 from 46 balls, including six fours and two sixes, as the Proteas were bowled out for 117 in their allotted 20 overs.
Meanwhile, India won the match by 7 wickets to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.