Hardik Pandya was all over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. With the bat, with the ball, in the field, the Gujarat Titans single-handedly stifled the Royals in every department to script a 37-run win for his side that took them on top of the IPL 2022 points table. Hardik played some breathtaking shots throughout his unbeaten 87-run innings while batting at number four, and then made a telling impact in the field early in the RR chase that sent back their captain Sanju Samson.
In the third ball of the 8th over in RR's chase, Samson hit a Lockie Ferguson towards mid-off and set off for a quick single. The Royals perhaps miscalculated his timing but that takes nothing away from Hardik Pandya's fielding effort. He was off in a flash and even quicker to release the ball. The amount of power that he generated despite not being fully balanced is what makes him a special athlete.
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Hardik's bullet throw not only knocked the stumps but also broke the middle stump into two. Samson knew he was short of his crease and the replays confirmed it. He had to take the long walk back for 11 as Gujarat took complete control of the match.
Watch Video: Hardik Pandya's bullet throw breaks middle stump into two, runs out Sanju Samson
Hardik also picked up the wicket of Jimmy Neesham towards the end before walking off the field with. He, later on, described it as 'cramps'.
{{/usCountry}}Hardik also picked up the wicket of Jimmy Neesham towards the end before walking off the field with. He, later on, described it as 'cramps'.
{{/usCountry}}After being put in to bat, Gujarat found themselves reeling at 53 for three. While Hardik’s 52-ball knock was studded with eight fours and four sixes, Abhinav Manohar struck four fours and two maximums. Miller, who overall hit five boundaries and a six, fetched 21 runs in the penultimate over off Kuldeep Sen (1/51).
To start with, Hardik was aggressive on pacer Kuldeep as he hammered him for three successive boundaries in the fifth over. He then fetched his first maximum in the seventh over, when he clobbered Riyan Parag over his head.
The duo upped the ante when Manohar launched into inform Yuzvendra Chahal, hammering him for a four and maximum, a lofted inside-out drive over cover. The two then took on Kuldeep, hammering him for three boundaries in the 14th over, where Hardik also notched up his fifty, with a cut towards backward point fence.
And in the next over, Hardik clobbered two successive maximums off seasoned spinner Ashwin, who leaked 16 runs in the over. With Titans reaching 130 for three in 15 overs, the stage was set for a big total.