Hardik shares special tweet on his ‘comeback’ after match-winning performance | Cricket

Hardik Pandya shared a special tweet underlining his ‘comeback’ as his all-rounder brilliance against arch-rivals Pakistan powered India to a five-wicket win on Sunday. Pandya stood calm with an unbeaten 33 and hit the winning six in the final over of a tense pursuit of 148. He also shone with the ball to return 3-25, sharing seven wickets with Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the hotly-anticipated fixture in Dubai. Also Read | Ross Taylor shares special tweet for record-breaker Virat Kohli; India star ticks off incredible milestone in IND vs PAK

“The comeback is greater than the setback,” wrote Pandya along with a picture that shows two different eras of his career. At the top is the star all-rounder laying on a stretcher during his outing against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2018. Four years hence, he is India’s go-to all-rounder prior to the much-anticipated World T20 in Australia.

The 28-year-old’s performance showed his incredible run in the past few months. It had started with him returning from a back injury and leading Indian Premier League (IPL) debutants Gujarat Titans to a fairytale title in May.

“Happy to get this win because it was very important for us. Our nerves were checked, as a team we were challenged as well. Loved the way he (Ravindra Jadeja) came out and played as well,” Hardik said in a video shared by BCCI.

“I was recollecting everything from being carried on the stretcher and the same dressing room. You feel a sense of achievement after all the things happened and again getting an opportunity today.”

Pandya credited team physio Nitin Patel and current strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai for his successful comeback. “That journey was very beautiful, we get the fruits of the journey but behind the scenes whoever has worked with me never get credit. So, I always believe in giving credit to the person who deserves it. Nitin Patel, Soham Desai, I will give credit to them for whatever comeback I have made”

Pandya said he was planning one over at a time, adding that he would have succeeded even if India needed 15 runs off the last six deliveries. The flamboyant Baroda player smashed three boundaries in the penultimate over against Haris Rauf before finishing off the game in style with a six over wide mid-on against left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz.

“Seven runs didn’t look very big to me. I was least bothered about the left-arm spinner (Mohammad Nawaz) and five fielders outside the circle because whatever the situation was, I had to hit. But in the entire innings the only time I showed some emotions when you (Ravindra Jadeja) got out,” he said in free-flowing chat with Jadeja posted on bcci.tv.