Team India had a forgetful outing at the 2021 T20 World Cup as they were knocked out of the tournament after the group stage itself. The Men in Blue were criticized heavily for their shambolic performance. However, the team worked hard on the areas of concern since then and now looks all set to challenge the other top teams after a perfect start to their campaign.
The Rohit Sharma-led side defeated arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening fixture at the T20 World Cup 2022 to set the tone for the tournament. It was a win to remember for the Men in Blue as they snatched it from Pakistan’s grasp. Virat Kohli played a memorable knock of 82* (53) and powered India to a four-wicket win.
But there was also Hardik Pandya who perfectly played his part. The star all-rounder took three wickets with the ball and then scored 40 runs with the bat to help India register a thrilling win. This is what India missed last year, the contribution from their top all-rounder. Nevertheless, Pandya is doing the job this time and looks set to script history for the team.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson is also impressed with the way Pandya has regained his old self or better say reinvented himself. It’s worth mentioning that after being down and out for almost six months, Pandya made a befitting comeback, leading his IPL franchise to a title win. He then regained his spot back in the national team and is now a vital cog in the lineup.
This new version of Pandya makes Watson believe that the all-rounder can win the World Cup for India on his own. In a recent interview, Watson said that Pandya is a true match-winner and can contribute to all departments. The former Aussie cricketer hailed the 28-year-old for power-hitting abilities as well.
“Hardik Pandya is a talented cricketer. When he’s bowling, the way he’s paced up at 140s is amazing. He’s just got great skill, and he’s got great ability to take wickets and also defend runs. His batting just continues to go through the roof. He’s not just a finisher, he’s a power hitter too. He’s got all the skills. We’ve seen him in the last IPL. He can win the T20 World Cup on his own. He is truly a match-winner,” Watson said to the Times of India.
