Hardik Pandya of India performed a spectacular achievement during the third T20I match of the ongoing five-match series against the West Indies in St Kitts on Tuesday. After dismissing Brandon King, Hardik hit the 50-wicket mark in his T20I career, completing a remarkable double in the format that placed him alongside Pakistan icon Shahid Afridi.
Hardik achieved the feat during the game’s ninth over. Hardik tricked King with a slower delivery across a longer distance. King attempted to play it across but was caught off guard as the ball got a hard inside edge and sent his leg-stump cartwheeling. As Hardik drew first blood for India, King was removed for 20 off 20.
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Hardik took his 50th wicket for India, making him the sixth bowler in the country’s T20I history. Other bowlers who have done the feat include Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, with the wrist-spinner leading the way with 79 scalps.
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Hardik Pandya, who also has 802 runs in T20I cricket, is the ninth cricketer among full-member nations to complete the double of 500 runs and 50 wickets in the format. Shakib Al Hasan, Shahid Afridi, Dwayne Bravo, George Dockrell, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Hafeez, Kevin O’Brien, and Thisara Perera are the other 11 players.
Concerning the match, India won the toss and choose to bowl first in the third T20I of the series. India had lost the second match by five wickets on Monday at the same venue, bringing the series to a 1-1 tie. Last week, India won the first match by 68 runs in Trinidad.
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