All-rounder Hardik Pandya etched his name deeper into Indian men’s white-ball history by scripting the second-fastest half-century for the country in T20Is with a 16-ball effort against South Africa at
the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday (December 19). Only Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball half-century against England on that famous night in Durban in the 2007 T20 World Cup beats Pandya on the list.
He went past Abhishek Sharma’s record of 17 balls against England from earlier this year to join Yuvraj at second.
Pandya eventually got out for 63 (25), scoring five sixes and as many fours.
Coming to bat at 115/3 when India had lost two quick wickets in Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav, he started the knock with pure, aggressive intent, stepping down to Corbin Bosch to smack his first ball down the ground for a six. Only one of his first seven balls hadn’t seen the boundary ropes.
Bosch became a particular target, getting hit for another six and four in the 17th over, before Pandya reached his fifty with another huge maximum. The all-rounder batted like a man possessed, brutally timing everything that came near his bat, with a particular penchant for huge, down-the-ground hits.
Later in the innings, he also got a bit of luck as the edges flew past the fielders. But still, with the kind of impact it had on India’s innings, taking them to 220/4, it was one of the best for the country in the format.
India score 231/5 in 1st innings
Playing with a changed combination up top, with Sanju Samson returning to replace the injured Shubman Gill, India were asked to bat first in Ahmedabad. Samson showed the classic intent he’s known for, matching Abhishek Sharma toe-to-toe as the openers put up a 63-run stand.
Both got out in quick succession, and Suryakumar followed to eke out his poor form. Tilak and Pandya, teammates at the Mumbai Indians, then took over with a stand worth 105 (44). Neither could finish the innings, but India managed to score an excellent 231/5.
