Team India captain Hardik Pandya faced some impressive big-hitting from Nicholas Pooran in the deciding T20 match against West Indies in Florida on Sunday, August 13, 2023. Chasing 166 runs, the Windies lost Kyle Mayers for 10 runs in the second over bowled by Arshdeep Singh. However, Pooran came in and hit the last ball of the over for a six. Hardik Pandya came in to bowl the third over of the innings and the West Indies left-handers took a liking to his bowling and scored maximum runs off the last two balls.
The first six was hit over long-on and the second over midwicket. Incidentally, Pandya had made an interesting statement regarding Pooran after the third T20I in Guyana, which the team India won by seven wickets. Speaking about the in-form West Indies batsman wanting to adopt his bowling, he had commented:
“Yeah, if Nicky wants to hit, let him hit me; that was the plan. I enjoy that kind of competition where I know I cannot err in line or length a lot as it gives the advantage to Nicky. In the fourth game, I hope he comes very hard at me and gives me a wicket as well.”
In the fourth T20 match, Nicholas Pooran was dismissed for 1 run by Kuldeep Yadav but played a key role in West Indies’ series win on Sunday. He put on 107 runs for the second wicket with Brandon King making 85 runs in 55 balls and was dismissed for 47 off 35 balls, which became Tilak Verma’s first international wicket. The southpaw batsman hit one four and four sixes in his brilliant innings.
Also, read: Robin Uthappa Favors Tilak Verma’s Inclusion In The ODI World Cup Squad
“I Took My Time, Couldn’t Take Advantage” – Pandya Takes Responsibility For Defeat
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Hardik Pandya admitted that he let the team down with the bat and took responsibility for the defeat. The all-rounder scored only 14 runs in 18 balls and hit a six. He fell to Romario Shepherd in an attempt to hit a big one
Pandya Said:
“If you see we lost that period post the ten overs. I came there, took my time, and was not able to capitalize. I think the boys played well but I failed to play accordingly at that point in time,
Reflecting on the series defeat, the Indian captain commented:
“All these games are the games where you are going to challenge ourselves. In the hindsight, one series here and there is fine. It is a longer process which I don’t need to explain much. The boys are trying to commit themselves well and I think that is going well.”
India batted first and scored 165/9 runs in the allotted 20 overs. West Indies achieved the target in 18 overs with eight wickets in hand.
