Hardik Pandya joined an elite list. Photo: AP
Hardik Pandya shone with the ball and once again proved that he can be India's third pacer in 50-over cricket. Hardik scalped 2 wickets in the 2025 Champions Trophy match against Pakistan. The star India all-rounder got the first breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam for 23 in the 9th over.
Pandya provided India with another breakthrough in the 35th over by dismissing Saud Shakeel for 62. Pandya joined an elite list and achieved a huge milestone when he scalped his second wicket of the game.
Pandya has completed 200 wickets in international cricket. The 31-year-old has 17 wickets in Tests, 89 wickets in ODIs and 94 wickets in T20I cricket. Pandya made his India debut in a T20I against Australia in January 2016. He made his ODI debut later in the year.
Pandya's Test debut came in 2017. He left playing first-class cricket in 2018 due to his fitness issues and is only active in white-ball cricket. Though he was part of India's Test team in 2021.
Pandya is a complete package on the field and he contributes equally in all departments of the game. He is also a gun fielder. He has 532 runs in Tests, 1805 runs in ODIs and 1812 runs in T20I cricket.
Pandya's success saw him become India's white-ball vice-captain in the 2022/23 season. He was Rohit Sharma's deputy in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup.
Pandya looked set to become India's full-time T20I captain after Rohit's retirement from the shortest format but he was pipped by Suryakumar Yadav. Pandya was dropped from the leadership group altogether.
Pakistan struggling against India
Talking of the ongoing game, Pakistan are struggling against India and they are unlikely to breach the 250-run mark. The Indian spinners slowed Pakistan's scoring rate and scalped crucial wickets in the middle overs. A win here will all but confirm India's place in the semi-final.
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