India allrounder Hardik Pandya joined compatriots Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to become the third Indian bowler to get to 100 T20I wickets. Pandya, who started the day on 99 wickets, grabbed the 100th scalp when he snapped up Tristan Stubbs in the 3rdd T20I match against South Africa in Dharamasala on Sunday. He would have gotten there sooner but the Baroda player went wicketless in the 2nd T20I match in Mullanpur where India lost to the Proteas.
Pandya, who was out for 2 months due to a quadriceps injury he sustained during the Asia Cup, had made his return to the India set up in the 1st T20I in Cuttack where he blazed a quickfire 59 runs off 28 balls, helping India post 175/6 after the Men in Blue were in a bit of a fix after losing some early wickets. Pandya also struck with the very first ball he bowled when he sent back David Miller for 1.
“I had to back my shots. I realised the wicket had a bit of spice. I had to be a bit gutsy. It was more about timing the ball, not breaking the ball. I was very satisfied with the way I was batting,” he had said after the match where he got the player of the match award..
“The last six-seven months have been great from my fitness point of view. These last 50 days, being away from loved ones, being at NCA, making sure that all these things are covered. It was satisfying when you come here, the results come like this.” On not bowling in the powerplay, Pandya said: “As a cricketer, I have never been fussy about what roles I have in the game. I have always been motivated to make sure that it doesn’t matter what Hardik Pandya wants, it is about what India wants. The mindset helps me. I have always tried to put my team first. That is my biggest USP and that is what has helped me,” he added.
On Sunday, India skipper Suyrakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl in the third T20I. India brought in Harshit Rana for Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the match because of personal reasons, while Kuldeep Yadav came in for an unwell Axar Patel.
SA drafted back Corbin Bosch, Tristan Stubbs and Anrich Nortje for this match. The five-match series is now locked 1-1.