Hardik Pandya: ‘Very unfair treatment’ makes T20 World Cup victory ‘more special’

Winning the T20 World Cup final was “more special” for Hardik Pandya because of his recent “very unfair” treatment, the Indian all-rounder said a day after his team’s victory.

Pandya entered the T20 World Cup after a difficult campaign in the Indian Premier League. After a high-profile move to Mumbai Indians, where he took over from Indian captain Rohit Sharma, his team finished bottom of the IPL 2024 points table, and Pandya was heavily criticized. He was regularly booed by fans of Mumbai Indians and rival teams.

“It means a lot to me,” he told the TV station. ” It is very moving. We worked very hard but something was wrong. I think today was a day where we could feel what the whole nation wanted, so many people supported us. It’s even more special for me (after) my six months. I was very gracious in not saying a word. Things have been very unfair but I thought if I kept working hard I would be able to shine and do what I’ve always done, and that sums it up. It was a dream to win, and having an opportunity like this makes it even more special. »

Redemption for Hardik Pandya after the way he was unfortunately treated in IPL by very small sections.

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) June 29, 2024

During the match, Pandya was delighted with India’s spectacular comeback. With five overs to go, South Africa needed a run a ball with six wickets down, but India applied the pressure superbly to win.

“We always believed we could do it, it was just about executing our plans, staying calm and letting the pressure come on them,” Pandya said. “Credit goes to Jassy (Jasprit Bumrah) and the fast bowlers, the way they bowled those last four or five overs changed everything. It was time to do it.”

Pandya played a key role with the ball, taking 3-20, including the vital wicket of Heinrich Klaasen, and bowling the final over as India wrapped up a seven-run win to end a 17-year wait for a World Cup trophy. He immediately broke down in tears.

“I knew if I didn’t stay calm it wouldn’t help me, so for me it was about executing my plans and committing 100 percent to every ball I throw,” he said. -he declares. “I’ve been in this situation before, I’ve never won, but I’ve always liked pressure situations. All of a sudden my heart rate also increased when the time came. »

Follow Wisden for all the updates from the T20 World Cup, including live scores, match statistics, quizzes and much more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team rankings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.