India rode to a thrilling five-wicket win over Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup T20. Hardik Pandya hit the winning six, as the Men in Blue got the job done with a couple of balls to spare. He has said that he keeps things simple.
When it came to the India-Pakistan clash during Game 2 of the Asia Cup T20 2022 at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, it was nervy and went down to the wire. As the Men in Blue needed seven off the final six deliveries, pressure revolved around both sides. Also, a wicket off the first ball of the over instantly put pressure on the Indians. Nevertheless, all-rounder Hardik Pandya kept calm and ensured that he hammered one enormous shot of orthodox spinner Mohammad Nawaz to get the job done with just a couple of balls to spare. Consequently, India had its payback from last year's ICC T20 World Cup defeat to the side at this venue.
In the meantime, Pandya was both happy and relieved that he got the job done and has banked on keeping things simple. He said after the match, "In a chase like this, you always plan over-by-over. I always knew there was one young bowler and one left-arm spinner. We only needed seven off the last over, but I'd have fancied myself even if we needed 15."
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"I know the bowler is under more pressure than me in the 20th over. I try to keep things simple. In bowling, it's important to assess the situation and use your weapons. For me, bowling short and hard lengths have been my strengths. It's about using them well and asking the right questions to make the batters commit a mistake," added Pandya during the post-match presentation.
(With inputs from PTI)