Not ready to rest on their laurels, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube decided to practice bowling right after India’s Super 8 win over Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday, February 27. The approach of the two all-rounders was praised by Sunil Gavaskar and Varun Aaron, who were happy to see the commitment that is crucial to improving their performance ahead of West’s game against the Indies.
IND vs ZIM T20 WORLD CUP 2026 SUPER 8s: MAIN | SCORECARD
The Indian batsmen were at their most destructive during the match at Chepauk as the hosts scored 256 for four in 20 overs. However, the bowling did not go as expected as Zimbabwe battled hard through Brian Bennett to reach 184 for six. Hardik conceded 21 runs in three overs and finished wicketless. Dube was expensive, going for 46 runs in his two overs and picking up just one wicket. He conceded two no-balls and four wides during his spell.
Check out Hardik Pandya’s work ethic. He scored 50, bowled 3 overs with an economy of 7, won the POTM against Zim – and still practiced bowling after the match.
Champion Hardik Pandya — MVP of Indian Cricket Team. pic.twitter.com/kTWc4Mf0NT
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) February 27, 2026
Hardik said right after he was adjudged the man of the match that he is heading back to the bowl and ready for the next game. Speaking to television stations after the match, Gavaskar said the duo could have opted for rest but their determination to improve was remarkable.
“And in this game, I think it was the bowling that you needed to learn from, and that’s why we saw Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube going for hard yards after the match. Most of the time, after the match, people want to sit in the dressing room, have a bit of a discussion, have a bit of fun. But I think that kind of, very hard work is something very impressive.”
Gavaskar said Hardik and Dube showed that they were not ready to relax after the 72-run victory and it bodes well for India moving forward.
“Suryakumar said the bowlers could have done a bit better. And while the presentation was going on, I was just walking towards the pitch. I was beside the pitch and one saw that Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube were still bowling there with Morne Morkel. They are making sure they prepare for the next match. They don’t want to sit on 72-runs to sit better, they want to sit better. that’s a great sign,” Gavaskar said.
“INDIA WANT TO WIN THIS WORLD CUP”
During the post-match presentation, it was felt that Hardik was not completely satisfied with his performance with the ball and Aaron expressed the same sentiment. The former pacer pointed out that Hardik and Dube’s dedication shows how determined India is to win the World Cup.
“He’s obviously disappointed with the way he went with the ball today. He obviously played a power play to get a wicket but couldn’t get it. He’s working on deliveries in the power play that he’d like to work into the game. That’s a great sign.”
“If you work on your game, even after the match, and look, it’s a World Cup match. As an all-rounder, he scored 50 and bowled three overs. The first thing you want to do is put your feet up and rest, but he’s not doing that. It just shows how determined India really is to win this World Cup,” Aaron said.
India will face the West Indies in a virtual knockout on Sunday, March 1 in Kolkata, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Published on:
February 27, 2026 10:05 AM IST
