In a strong opening to their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, the Indian cricket team secured a comfortable victory over Ireland by eight wickets. Hardik Pandya emerged as the star of the match, setting up a dominant performance by taking three crucial wickets in the first innings.
Reflecting on the game and the positive result, Pandya expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance. He emphasized the importance of starting the tournament on a positive note for maintaining rhythm, noting that once the tournament begins, it progresses rapidly. Pandya highlighted the gratifying feeling of seeing hard work translate into success.
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“I am very happy and pleased to start the tournament on a positive note. It’s very important for the rhythm because once the tournament starts, it just goes, and it feels really good when you work hard and get success for it,” he said.
The match is always going to be fantastic, and there will be a lot of buzz: Hardik Pandya
Discussing his own performance, Pandya noted the growth in his game over the years. He explained that Hardik at the age of 30 is much more experienced than Hardik at 16, thanks to the valuable lessons learned from playing international cricket. He mentioned that bowling numerous overs and batting extensively in practice helped him realize his potential and gradually improve, which has been his focus.
“Hardik at the age of 30 is much more experienced than Hardik at 16. Playing international cricket has taught me a lot. When you bowl a lot of overs and bat a lot in the nets, you realize your potential and improve gradually. That’s been my focus so far,” he explained.
Pandya also highlighted the strength of the Indian team, particularly the experience of both bowlers and batters. He specifically praised the fast bowling trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshdeep Singh, noting their extensive experience and significant contributions to the team.
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Looking ahead to the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, Pandya commented on the excitement surrounding the game.
“The match is always going to be fantastic, and there will be a lot of buzz. Hopefully, the Indian team will stay focused and make it another great day at the office against Pakistan in this big clash,” he remarked.