What has kept ODIs relevant for over half a century is the struggle in the middle overs and the silent battles between bat and ball. The Indian all-rounder, Hardik Pandya has often emerged as that player for the men blue and delivered again with a scintillating spell in the third and final ODI against Australia in Chennai. The hosts came back hard at the visitors after the latter controlled proceedings in the powerplay, snaring three quick wickets to have the visitors reeling at 85/3 in the 15th over.
The recovery was instigated and executed by Hardik Pandya as he took a wicket in each of his first three overs. The 29-year-old first came to bowl immediately after the powerplay, with the score reading 61/0. Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, having scripted a chase of 118 in just 11 overs in the second ODI, again managed to set a solid foundation with some dominating batting displays.
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However, the former immediately faced a scare after failing to time a pull off a surprising bouncer on the second delivery only for Shubman Gill to drop the catch in the deep. Even so, the opener could not make of the reprieve, playing a loose shot on a short and wide delivery just three balls later to be caught by deep third-man Kuldeep Yadav thus departing for 33 off 31 balls.
In the next over of Hardik Pandya, he started off the battle against Smith with a cheeky slower delivery. The very next ball was pitched up and angling away from the batter but this time at pace, deceiving Smith into a falsely timed drive thereby leading to a thick outside edge straight to the wicket-keeper.
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However, Hardik was not done yet and reaped another reward on the third ball for his next over. The in-form Mitchell Marsh looked set for a fifty but had to depart for a run-a-ball 47 after playing on Pandya’s delivery onto the middle stump. Hardik Pandya ended up churning out a cheeky stare at the batter as he walked away.
Here is the video of the celebration from Hardik Pandya:
Here is how the netizens reacted to spell from Hardik Pandya:
Kuch to Baat thi Usme iss Headband ke sath bhi Wickets le leta tha 😌#HardikPandya #INDvsAUS3rdodi #indvsaus pic.twitter.com/ixgS2ZKgD2
— Tanay (@tanay_chawda1) March 22, 2023
Bright Student of MS Dhoni – Hardik Pandya 🥵🥵 pic.twitter.com/z8AonyEIt6
— DIPTI MSDIAN ( Dhoni's Family ) (@Diptiranjan_7) March 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/SportyVishaI/status/1636682919224934407?s=20
HP one man army 😎💪#INDvAUS #Hardikpandya pic.twitter.com/03G7gm9q3n
— Anmol harjpal(मोदी का परिवार) (@Anmolharjpal1) March 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/its_DarkKing/status/1638473485289914369?s=20
Hardik Pandya on absolute best. 3 wickets now.
Hardik Pandya be like 🙂 pic.twitter.com/AXjQpIM3ma
— Shakti Man 💥 (@IamShaktiMann) March 22, 2023
