Published: Sep 29, 2021, 09:52 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 29, 2021, 10:05 AM (IST)
Abu Dhabi: Hardik Pandya rose to the occasion and played the finisher’s knock to perfection helping Mumbai Indians over the line against Punjab Kings on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. The right-handed dasher remained unbeaten on 40* off 30 balls. But things were not easy when he had just walked into the middle. Mohammed Shami was troubling Hardik and also hit him with a fiery bouncer. The MI cricketer has admitted that it was that bouncer that woke him up and changed things for him.
“To be honest, I will give credit to Shami as well because the ball which I got hit woke me up. I also told Kieron Pollard the same. It changed things for me actually, because I was finding it difficult before that,” Hardik said in a clip posted on the Twitter handle of IPL.
After being hit, Pandya reveals that he did not pay heed to what has happened on the previous ball and is completely focused on the upcoming delivery.
“I try to make sure that every opportunity is a new opportunity. You can be the hero or you can contribute in a way that your team can win. I have always been the kind of cricketer who has seen the ball and played. I forget what has happened on the previous ball and then make sure that I give my 100% when the next ball arrives,” he added.
With the win, MI keeps their playoff hopes alive. They were on the seventh spot ahead of the game, but following the win – they have shot up to the fifth position.
