Hardik Pandya (Screengrab) NEW DELHI: Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya produced a stunning moment on the field and grabbed attention during the fourth T20I between India and New Zealand at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. The match was close but Pandya’s keen awareness changed the tone of the game.The incident occurred in the 18th over when Jasprit Bumrah threw the ball at New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner.
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It was a back-of-a-length delivery at the stumps and Santner played it quietly as the ball rolled towards short third man. Hardik Pandya moved quickly, picked up the ball cleanly and sent a direct hit at the bowler’s end. Santner dived desperately but the effort was not enough and he was run out after 11 off six balls.Watch:New Zealand started strongly after India won the toss and opted to bowl. Devon Conway provided the momentum with a smooth 44 while Tim Seifert played an aggressive knock of 62. Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell added useful runs in the middle and death overs to help New Zealand reach 215/7 in 20 overs.India kept fighting back with timely wickets. Kuldeep Yadav struck twice, Arshdeep Singh also twice and Bumrah remained disciplined with the ball. Despite the high scoring rate, India’s energy in the field remained high throughout the innings.Pandya’s demise proved crucial as it broke up the developing partnership and slowed New Zealand’s late surge. The effort lifted the Indian players and the crowd and showed the importance of quick thinking and athleticism in modern T20 cricket.
