When you talk about defining moments in Indian T20 cricket, it’s impossible to ignore what Hardik Pandya did on that dramatic night in the 2016 T20 World Cup against Bangladesh. For many fans, that final over in Bengaluru wasn’t just a thrilling finish — it was the birth of Hardik Pandya, the big-match cricketer.
Defending two runs off the last three balls in a must-win encounter at the ICC T20 World Cup, a young Hardik held his nerve as chaos unfolded around him. Bangladesh were inches away from victory. One ball before the decisive wicket, the batter had already begun celebrating. But as Hardik recently recalled on JioStar’s ‘ICC T20 World Cup: Star Journeys’, that fleeting moment of premature celebration only sharpened his resolve.
“In cricket, even if there is just a one per cent chance, until the last ball is bowled, the game is not over,” Hardik Pandya said. That over, he admits, shaped him early in his international career. It taught him belief, resilience and the importance of backing himself when the odds seem stacked against you.
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Since then, the Baroda all-rounder’s journey has been anything but linear. Injuries, captaincy debates, IPL scrutiny and fluctuating form have tested him repeatedly. Yet, through the turbulence, Hardik has built a reputation as a cricketer who shows up when the stakes are highest.
Interestingly, Hardik revealed that there was a phase when he immersed himself more in refining his bowling. While he has always backed his skills with the ball, batting — the flamboyant, match-turning kind — has remained closest to his heart. After a challenging season in the Indian Premier League, he confronted a hard truth: he hadn’t unlocked even 40 per cent of his batting potential. That self-assessment triggered a transformation.
Hardik Pandya and his girl friend Maheika 💗
— Yash MSdian ™️ 🦁 (@itzyash07) February 14, 2026
Hardik spoke candidly about rediscovering the “child within” — the cricket geek who once played purely for joy. A significant influence during this phase was his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, who encouraged him to reconnect with the excitement of the sport rather than get consumed by external noise. Their conversations about cricket weren’t tactical breakdowns but emotional resets — about playing free, expressive cricket again.
The results? Gruelling behind-the-scenes work. At the National Cricket Academy, Hardik often trained from mid-afternoon until past midnight. Six to seven-hour batting sessions became routine. He was usually the last to leave, switching off the lights after everyone else had wrapped up. That commitment wasn’t about proving a point to critics — it was about proving something to himself.
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Technically, he overhauled his batting approach, even tweaking his swing. For a while, he felt like he had forgotten how to bat. But deep down, he knew growth demands discomfort. Hardik could have settled into being a dependable all-rounder. Instead, he chose evolution. “Playing for the country has always been a matter of pride,” he said, “but expressing that flair was very important to me.”
Today, when you watch Hardik unleash those effortless lofted drives or close out tense overs, you see more than talent. You see the lessons of 2016, the grind after self-doubt, and a cricketer determined to operate at his full potential. And if history is any indicator, the biggest chapters of Hardik Pandya’s story may still be unwritten.
