Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo) MUMBAI: Of late, Hardik Pandya has been making headlines for reasons other than cricket. His cozy celebrations with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma after India’s 2026 T20 World Cup triumph drew criticism and a Nagpur-based lawyer even filed a police complaint. News of the all-rounder buying a Ferrari 12Cilindri for Rs 12 crore has added to the chatter about his flamboyant lifestyle – from his blonde hairdo to his signature gold chain.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Yet, amid all the noise, Pandya’s pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup triumphs in 2024 and 2026 has not received the same attention.In the 2026 semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium and the 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados, Pandya produced decisive spells at the death, proving that the unrivaled Jasprit Bumrah could bowl perfectly. Bumrah rightly walked away with most of the credit, but Pandya’s contributions were just as important.
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In the semi-final in 2026, Pandya chipped in with a 12-ball 27 before returning figures of 2/38 in four overs in a high-scoring contest.When he reached the 19th over, England needed 39 from two overs, with Jacob Bethell – who had hit 105 off 48 balls – threatening to catch up to India’s dismal 253. After Bethell hit the first ball for a six, Pandya responded brilliantly, conceding just three runs from the next five deliveries and dismissing Sam Curran.With 30 needed to end the final over, Pandya then produced a moment of brilliance in the field – a bullet throw from long off that ran out Bethell at the start of the 20th over effectively sealed the match for India. Overall, Pandya finished the tournament with nine wickets in nine matches at 32.33, an economy of 8.81, while scoring 217 runs at a strike of 160.74, including two fifties.With the bat, one of his key contributions was against the Netherlands in Ahmedabad, where his 21-ball 30, including three sixes, helped India recover from 110/4 in the 14th over. His 76-run stand with Shivam Dub lifted India to 196/6, which ultimately proved to be quite enough.Two years earlier, after enduring perhaps the toughest IPL season of his career with the Mumbai Indians, Pandya bounced back brilliantly at the 2024 T20 World Cup, taking 11 wickets in eight matches at 17:36 while scoring 114 runs at 48, including a fifty.In the 2024 final in Barbados, while Bumrah’s 2/18 grabbed the headlines, it was Pandya who turned the game around with figures of 3/20 in three overs. When he returned for the 17th over, South Africa needed 26 from 24 balls. Pandya conceded just four runs and removed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen who scored 52 (27b).Tasked with completing the final over, Pandya had David Miller caught by Suryakumar Yadav, whose stunning catch sealed India’s dramatic seven-run win. A source close to Pandya says that cricket remains the all-rounder’s main focus, especially in big tournaments.“Cricket is his first love. He takes precedence over everything else. But off the field he enjoys his life and doesn’t care what people say. His philosophy is simple: live life to the fullest, but when it comes to cricket, be totally dedicated.”According to a source, Pandya enters a different ‘zone’ ahead of big tournaments. “He has rested since the ODI series against New Zealand in January and has been fully focused on preparing for the T20 World Cup. He has been training twice a day, staying disciplined and avoiding social media. He believes in practicing quietly rather than showing everything on Instagram.”The source added that Pandya even logs off from social media a month before major tournaments. “He doesn’t read the newspaper or watch online chats. He just focuses on winning the trophy.”Over the years, Pandya’s understanding of the game has also improved significantly. “As a batsman, he reads the bowlers well, and as a bowler, he reads the batsmen well. He may not be the fastest, but he uses his intelligence and variation — especially that of the overshooter — to get the job done.”Although he no longer captains India in any format, the 32-year-old has embraced his role as the senior leader of the team. During the World Cup, he was often seen cheering on teammates, especially fellow all-rounder Shivam Dube, in the team huddles.Simply put, Pandya remains one of the best white-ball all-rounders in world cricket – arguably India’s best since the legendary Kapil Dev.Frequent injuries may have cost him his white-ball captaincy, but Pandya has repeatedly returned leaner, leaner and hungrier.Almost eight years ago, after playing his eighth Test at Southampton against England, Pandya retired from red-ball cricket to extend his white-ball career – a decision that has clearly paid dividends. In limited-overs cricket, Pandya remains the player India can rely on with both bat and ball.
