What a year 2024 was for Hardik Pandya. From getting booed by the Mumbai Indians faithful to winning India the T20 World Cup to again getting stripped of captaincy, if there is one individual whom the term 'roller-coaster ride' fits aptly, it's Hardik. Still, he is out there, scoring runs, picking up wickets and turning up for the team whenever needed. Hardik had already endured a few rough chapters in his career when injuries put him on the shelf – a stress fracture in the back that eventually required surgery and then getting ruled out of the 2023 World Cup with a bad ankle. Yet, he emerged out of those setbacks, and went on to prove why he is India's No. 1 all-rounder ever after all these years.
Hardik has enjoyed many memorable moments in his nine-year-long career, but nothing would top what he did on June 29, 2024. With India under pressure, Hardik bowled two game-changing overs to transform from a national villain into India's beloved hero. While Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah deserve all the credit in the world for their contribution in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, the win wouldn't have been possible without Hardik's 17th and 20th overs.
Who can forget the sight of Hardik falling to the ground, bursting into tears after successfully defending 16 runs off the last over and ending India's drought for an ICC title? It was a moment that promised to give goosebumps, especially given the tough couple of months Hardik faced while he was captain of MI.
"We won as a team. But for me to play that much important role, it is just surreal. And it’s a dream which actually came true. From my shoulder, a big weight was kind of off. I think it was just a relief. Really proud of the way I was able to stand, and maybe not show a lot of emotions or how I have been going through," Hardik said in an interview with the ICC.
That ball to dismiss Klaasen
{{/usCountry}}"We won as a team. But for me to play that much important role, it is just surreal. And it’s a dream which actually came true. From my shoulder, a big weight was kind of off. I think it was just a relief. Really proud of the way I was able to stand, and maybe not show a lot of emotions or how I have been going through," Hardik said in an interview with the ICC.
That ball to dismiss Klaasen
{{/usCountry}}No mention of the T20 World Cup final is complete without mentioning Hardik's 17th over, which shifted the momentum in India's favour. Heinrich Klaasen was smashing the Indian bowlers – he had just smoked Kuldeep Yadav for 22 runs in the previous over. Something had to give. It was either now or never.
Captain Rohit Sharma then handed the ball to Hardik, and in a matter of one ball, the complexion of the game changed. Klaasen edged Hardik to Rishabh Pant and that was that. SA failed to finish the game that was theirs, unable to chase down the remaining 24 runs needed off 18 balls. Sure, Bumrah played his part, but that moment was Hardik and Hardik's alone.
"Just before the ball, I just told him (Rohit) that I’m gonna go wide to Klaasen and I just knew that he's gonna expect a ball which is on the stumps. His leg was a little to the leg-side, so I knew that he's gonna try to hit me there and that’s when I, just before my run-up, just looked at him and said I'm gonna go slow because I didn’t set a field for a slower ball. I had to outfox him or I had to be a little one up in the game so he’s not aware of what ball is coming, because the way he was hitting it was just tremendous. That just opened the door for us," recalled Hardik.