IND vs PAK: Hardik Pandya takes Pakistan slaying to different level, silences critics after West Indies debacle

India vs Pakistan Asia Cup: It looks like after Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya has developed into another thorn in Pakistan's eyes.

Hardik Pandya has developed a knack for rescuing India from crisis situations, especially if it is against Pakistan, and the star India all-rounder's love affair with Pakistan continued when he produced a stunning knock of 87 during Saturday's blockbuster Asia Cup tie. The 43-ball 76 run blitzkrieg at the Champions Trophy final, the match-winning 17-ball 33 at last year's Asia Cup or the 37-ball 40 at the T20 World Cup, Hardik has risen to the occasion almost everytime against Pakistan when India have needed it the most.

Hardik Pandya has made it a habit to bail India out of trouble against Pakistan. (Getty)

Hardik walked out to bat at the fall of India's fourth wicket, with the score reading a concerning 66/4, and decided to play a very different and unique innings – patience personified which anchored India's innings – and ensured his team did not lose a wicket before the total breached the 200-mark. He and Ishan Kishan formed a staggering partnership – adding 138 runs for the fifth wicket and although both missed their centuries by 13 and 18 runs respectively, they bailed the team out of trouble as India were bowled out for 266 in 48.5 overs.

The timing of Hardik's innings could not have come at a more appropriate time. Just about a couple of weeks ago, he was blasted left, right and centre as India slumped to their first-ever bilateral series defeat to West Indies in 17 years. Hardik, who was captaining a young Indian bench in the Caribbean, was slammed for reasons ranging from promoting himself ahead of specialist batters to not giving Yuzvendra Chahal a fourth over to the most ridiculous 'hit the winning runs to deny Tilak Varma a fifty' belief. But come the big match situation, Hardik stood tall with a blazing knock that promises to silence his detractors.

Hardik was eventually foxed by a slower delivery from Shaheen Afridi, who finished with 4/35, as Babar Azam gobbled up a simple catch at covers. But take nothing away from Hardik, who scored his second consecutive ODI half-century. After getting his innings off the mark with a boundary off the first ball, Hardik was content to play second-fiddle to Ishan, who was amping up the innings with a flurry of boundaries. Hardik hit the odd four himself but the majority of his runs came via running between the wicket.

In the 25th over, when he swatted Shaheen for a boundary, it seemed as if Hardik would switch gears, but it wasn't to be. He then went 12 overs without a boundary before breaking the shackles with a slog sweep for six. As the 200 came up for India, Hardik took on Haris Rauf, clubbing him for three boundaries off four balls. Despite the fall of Ishan's wicket, who mistimed a pull shot – Hardik added a crucial 35 runs with Ravindra Jadeja, whose importance cannot be undermined given India's top order crumbled. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer could combine to score just 39 runs before Hardik-Ishan show took over.