New Delhi: An India-Australia encounter without a bit of words thrown at each other, without a bit of spice...doesn't match right? And the third ODI match between Steve Smith-led side and Virat Kohli's army gave the fans such a moment when pacer Pat Cummins and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were involved in a verbal spat at Holkar Stadium, Indore, on Sunday.
After a stunning 139-run opening partnership with both Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane notching up their respective fifties, Team India lost quick wickets. Aussies were on the verge on scripting a ravishing comeback only to be shutdown by Hardik Pandya.
Surprise and surprise as the swashbuckling all-rounder walked in at No.4. Really? – asked the curious mind of almost all cricket fans. But Pandya maintained absolute calmness and composure and 75 deliveries later, India closed in on the gap to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
There were singles, there were dot balls, there were sixes and boundaries, there were some unique shots and few regular ones. It may have been a mere experimentation for Team India, but Hardik did prove his versatality in the end. He tackled the pacers and demolished the spinners to notch up his 4th ODI fifty.
And as for the incident, it happened in the 26th over when a length delivery from Cummins was flicked off the pads towards deep square-leg. Hardik got a single and Cummins, whilst returning to his position had a bit of words to say to the young Baroda-based cricketer.
Watch the entire video here...
— CricGif (@CricGif17) September 24, 2017
Pandya, who bagged the Man of the Match award, said in the post-match presentation, “Feels pretty good, would like to finish the game next time. I don’t need to be surprised, important to back myself, saw it as an opportunity. I wanted to target the left-arm spinner, when I got a few sixes, I knew I could take some time. I try to contribute everywhere I can, I want to get better”
Team India will next face the Aussies for the fourth ODI at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on September 28.
