Hardik Pandya may have failed to contribute to the mammoth total that India posted but he made up for it with a ripper of a catch. Pandya was promoted to number 3 today with a free license after Dhawan and Rohit set the ideal platform to capitalise on.
However, the hard hitting Hardik Pandya perished at the very second bowl he faced as Sodhi’s turn and bounce took him by surprise. As the visitors came out to chase the sky tall target in excess of 200 their hopes were all invested in the opening pair of Guptill and Munro.
New Zealand openers didn’t have much choice but to go after the Indian bowlers and that’s exactly what Martin Guptill went for, he danced down the track to hit Chahal out of the park but all he could manage was a miss hit! But what he would have never imagined is that Hardik Pandya who was placed at long off would do a Johnny Rhodes.
Hardik Pandya took a stunning catch to everyone’s surprise and sent Martin Guptill back to the pavilion. First the entire Kotla and then Twitter exploded with appreciation for the spectacular catch Hardik took.
It was amazing to see the young Hardik teach others about how a catch is taken (especially the Kiwis after their sloppy fielding today) India won the match by 53 runs, giving a big farewell gift to Ashish Nehra but the best moment of the match surely was Hardik’s catch. Well done mate!
India won the match by 53 runs, giving a big farewell gift to Ashish Nehra but the best moment of the match surely was Hardik’s catch. Well done mate!
WHAT A CATCH THAT IS! JONTY RHODES LEVEL. Take a BOW , HARDIK PANDYA??????
— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) November 1, 2017
Pollard Pandya.#IndvsNZ
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) November 1, 2017
@hardikpandya7 Take the match! Not only catch!! #INDvNZ
— Chetan Sharma (@chetans1987) November 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/Cric_Stat/status/925745416909422593
That was a blinder from Hardik Pandya. Running with a full length dive and having control over the ball. Top top effort.#indvsnzt20
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) November 1, 2017
MS Dhoni wears the expression, “Oooo” with a smile as he sees Hardik complete that catch. #INDvNZ
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) November 1, 2017
Woaaaah!!! Itna KungFu to Panda bhi nahin kar sakta. What a catch @hardikpandya7 ???
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) November 1, 2017
Hardik Pandya ke catch ko dekhne ke baad Pakistani players ka reaction#INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/Jd3OIl8kLW
— Right Arm Over (@RightArmOver_) November 1, 2017
now we should start giving award for catch man of the match #ViruPanti @hardikpandya7 no word left #indvsnz pic.twitter.com/ySgDSj9PwM
— Durgesh Maheshwari (@mdurgeshtela) November 1, 2017
Hardik Pandya's catch was reminiscent of @MohammadKaif's catch in at long off in the 49th over to dismiss Shoaib Malik of Zak's bowling, almost colliding with @hemangkbadani! Ind vs Pak, 1st ODI, Karachi. Remember? 😃 #IndvsNZ https://t.co/1HfwdrGzzx
— Srini Mama (@SriniMama16) November 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/getudayhere/status/925747510588477440
I think I just saw one of the very best catches ever taken in a cricket game. @hardikpandya7 can do no wrong. Outstanding! #INDvNZ
— HariK (@outswing) November 1, 2017
As good a catch as any @hardikpandya7 #INDvNZ
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) November 1, 2017
#HardikPandya is the Flying Indian of cricket#indvsnz #t20
— Rucha Nagavekar (@RuchaPatkar) November 1, 2017
Was that a bird, was that a plane, No that was hardik pandeya @hardikpandya7 #virupanthi @StarSportsIndia
— Pankaj Sharma (@PankajS51490689) November 1, 2017
