All-rounder Shardul Thakur made his comeback to the Indian ODI team with a topsy-turvy performance in a game to remember against New Zealand in Hyderabad.
It were Shubman Gill’s record-breaking double century and Michael Bracewell’s 140 off 78 balls exhilarating knock that made the headlines with Bracewell’s innings bringing more than just life into the game as the left-hander brought New Zealand on the cusp of victory.
However, Shardul Thakur, who had earlier dropped a return catch of his own bowling and was expensive with the ball, going at 7.4 runs an over, who kept his nerve and had the last laugh in the end.
With Siraj and Shami exhausting their quota of 10 overs and Hardik Pandya bowling the 49th over, it was down to Shardul Thakur who was given the task of defending 20 runs in the last over with the Kiwis having only one wicket let, but a well-set Bracewell was at the crease. Bracewell even smoked Thakur for a six on the first ball and the bowler bowled a wide the next ball.
13 off 5 looked very much possible – after all, it was just two more hits away from being scores level, and Bracewell had smashed 10 sixes in his innings already.
But, in the final twist of the game, and in Thakur’s comeback, the pacer bowled a perfect yorker to trap Bracewell lbw and win India the match.
In a world of modern T20 cricket, Bracewell said, “You back yourself to get 20 runs in the last over,” but, he conceded “unfortunately it wasn’t my day today”. Because it was Lord Thakur’s day.
“Shardul Thakur impact” on New Zealand PM resignation! Trendulkar tweets
On Twitter too, fans roared in praise of Shardul Thakur’s performance with the ball.
Renowned Twitter handle, @Trendulkar, even made a hilarious tweet, saying that Shardul Thakur’s impact had the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern resign from her post! On the morning of Thursday, Jacinda stepped down from her PM Post. And this led to Trendulkar making a viral tweet on Shardul Thakur!
