Credit: Twitter

Credit: Twitter

The cricket world is currently divided, as the controversy of Hardik Pandya ‘denying’ Tilak Varma’s fifty is raging on social media. But arguably one of the finest commentators and experts, Harsha Bhogle, has shown his indirect support towards Hardik Pandya through a tweet. The incident happened in Guyana, during the third T20I between India and the West Indies. India were in a comfortable position to win the game, with just two runs required to win in 14 balls.

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Tilak Varma and Surya Kumar Yadav were the architects of the chase, with brilliant and responsible innings. Surya scored 83(44) and was dismissed in the 13th over. Varma, on the other hand, was batting on the non-strikers' end on 49*(37). It was expected that Hardik, who was on strike, would let Varma complete his fifty, as it was just the third international match of his career.  But the skipper smashed the ball hard down the ground for a six at long off and sealed the game. As a result, 20-year-old Varma was left stranded on 49*, devoid of his second T20I half-century.

This enraged several fans on social media, as they trolled Hardik Pandya for being selfish for not letting a youngster complete his fifty. Some fans compared Pandya to MS Dhoni, as Dhoni once gave away his strike and let Virat Kohli finish the game in a T20 World Cup game.

Also read: Old video of Dhoni’s gesture for Kohli goes viral after Hardik Pandya denies Tilak Varma chance to hit 50

The voice of cricket, Harsha Bhogle, recently tweeted that a fifty in a T20 is not a landmark and that no other landmarks exist in T20 cricket apart from a century. It also stated that we, as fans are too obsessed with individual achievement within a team sport. The commentator stated that he does not believe that 50s should be recorded in individual stats in T20s and if the player has made enough runs at the required rate, it is all that matters.

Here is the tweet:

India will now face the West Indies in the fourth T20I on August 12 in Florida, USA. It will be another do-or-die game for India, as the West Indies are currently leading in the series 2-1. The Indian looks settled, but Shubman Gill may be rested and Ishan Kishan can be given an opportunity based on the form of both the players.