Hardik Pandya played one of the best innings of his cricket career so far, in the final of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Pandya, who came in to bat number 7, scored 76 runs of just 43 balls, smashing 4 fours and 6 sixes. For a moment, Pandya gave hopes to billions of Indian cricket fans, who had lost hope otherwise after losing five quick wickets.
In the post match press conference, Indian captain Virat Kohli was asked that what was going through his mind when he was hitting the ball brilliantly in the middle. And this is how Virat replied:
Q: Virat, I was supposed to ask about Hardik, but you always back him and his talent. Today the way he was batting, we were in the press box, and the Pakistan media were talking about him, maybe he can pull out this from here. Was that thought coming in your mind, as well, when he was hitting so well? And he was very upset; is he all right?
Kohli: He’s fine. Obviously everyone who plays for the country is committed to winning cricket matches for the team, and he’s a very passionate, very committed cricketer. He felt he was in the zone today and he could have done something really special, and that’s why the disappointment came out, and that’s part of playing international sport. You’re so committed, you’re so motivated that when things don’t happen, and without even it being a mistake, it can get frustrated. You don’t understand why it has happened.
But yeah, the way he batted today and the way he bowled and the way he fielded, that’s exactly why we back him, because he can be the match winner for us in situations where the team is in trouble. I mean, today was a bit too far-fetched because we knew one more wicket and it will keep getting tougher. But yeah, when he was striking it well, I think he also felt and everyone in the changing room felt that if he can go on for a bit more, then things could become interesting, but yeah, unfortunately that didn’t happen.
