WI vs IND: Hardik Pandya registers this feat in T20Is
India claimed a 2-1 lead in the five-T20I series after beating West Indies in the third match. The visitors bounced back from the five-wicket defeat they suffered in the second match. While opener Suryakumar Yadav was the star of India's win, all-rounder Hardik Pandya impressed with the ball. During the match, the latter registered the double of 50 wickets and 500 runs in T20Is.
Why does this story matter?
Hardik has become the first-ever Indian with the double of 50 wickets and 500 runs in T20 Internationals. He achieved the feat after dismissing WI opener Brandon King in the third T20I. Overall, Hardik is the 11th man and 30th overall to attain this distinction. Deepti Sharma (women's cricket team) is the only other Indian to script this record in the format.
A look at Hardik's T20I career
Hardik made his T20I debut in January 2016 against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. In a career spanning over six years, he has become India's premier all-rounder in white-ball cricket. After facing a slump due to perpetual injuries, Hardik is back to his best. Besides having 50 T20I wickets, he owns 806 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 143.16.
International numbers in 2022
Hardik has played 15 internationals for India in 2022. He has slammed 353 runs in these matches at a remarkable average of 35.30. The Indian all-rounder also owns 14 wickets at 21.00 (average difference of 14.30). Hardik has six of these wickets in ODI cricket. Interestingly, he has a four-wicket haul each in both white-ball formats this year.
Hardik fancies bowling in England
Hardik now has his best bowling figures in each of the three formats in England. His only five-wicket haul in Tests came in 2018 at Nottingham (5/28). Meanwhile, Hardik's career-best T20I figures came in Southampton earlier this month (4/33).
Hardik reached this landmark in England
In the third ODI against England, Hardik registered figures of 4/24 and then slammed his eighth ODI half-century (71 off 55 balls). He became the fourth Indian man to register the double of 50-plus runs and four-plus wickets in an ODI. Kris Srikkanth (1988), Sachin Tendulkar (1998), Sourav Ganguly (1999, 2000), and Yuvraj Singh (2008, 2011) are the only other Indians with this feat.
