Hardik Pandya declared in Ahmedabad off one ball. The bat came down in a full arc, the ball flew up and again, and somewhere behind the rope, the cameraman found himself part of the moment. Ahmedabad had barely settled when Pandya, walking in the middle of the innings, turned the fifth T20I on Friday into a reminder of how quickly the game can change when he chooses to strike.The all-rounder, who came in during the 13th over, hit a six off his first ball, which also hit the cameraman standing at long-off.
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Pandya came on after India captain Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for five off seven balls in the first delivery of the 13th over. Yadav was caught by David Miller off the bowling of Corbin Bosch.Facing his first ball, a length delivery outside off from Bosch, Pandya came down the pitch and lofted a drive for a six. The shot was long wide and hit the cameraman, who was later attended to by the Indian team’s physiotherapist.In the next over, Pandya took on George Lind and hit three sixes and two fours to collect 27 runs from the over.
Second fastest T20I fifty for India
Pandya brought up his half-century in just 16 balls, the second fastest fifty for India in T20 Internationals after Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball effort.He was eventually dismissed for 63 off just 25 balls, hitting 5 sixes and as many fours in his innings. India scored a massive 231 for 5 in 20 overs. Earlier, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl in the fifth and final T20I tournament. The visitors made one change with all-rounder George Linde replacing fast bowler Anrich Nortje.India brought back Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the third T20I in Dharamsala due to personal reasons, to replace Harshit Rana. Washington Sundar already oversteps at the boundary line, Kuldeep Yadav leaves the field.Sanju Samson was named in the playing XI in place of vice-captain Shubman Gill, who was ruled out of the last two matches with a toe injury.
