Watch: Hardik Pandya played some scintillating shots in his 17-ball 39* in the fifth T20I against England, with one of his sixes even drawing an amazed reaction from Virat Kohli, his captain.
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The stroke came on the first ball of the penultimate over of India’s innings, bowled by Chris Jordan. Pandya played a pull high and handsome over midwicket, with the ball sailing into the empty stands.
Pandya kept his cool after middling the stroke, emotionless as he walked up the other end to chat with his skipper. Kohli was quite the opposite, making no effort to conceal his amazement. It didn’t take an expert lip-reader to understand what he was saying. “Wow wow wow,” seemed to be the gist.
In the previous game, Kohli had provided a similarly open-mouthed reaction after a Pandya six, though that time he was in the dug-out and had to cut short his appreciation as the ball travelled his way. This time, stationed at the other end, Kohli had the best position in the ground to watch Pandya go about his work.
Watch the Pandya six and Kohli’s reaction below: