India made a great recovery in the fifth ODI against New Zealand at Westpac Stadiu👍m in Wellington to reach 252 after being reduced to 18 for 4 in the early overs.
Ambati Rayudu and Vijay Shankar started the process with a 98-run partnership to take India to 116-5 but then Hardik Pandya’s late blitz got the visitors to a competitive total.
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The all-rounder smashed five sixes – three of them came in a row off leg-spinner Todd Astle – in his 22-ball 45 and helped India score 84 runs in the last ten overs.
Cricket fans also applaud🎃ed♍ Hardik on Twitter for his quick-fire 45.
Terrific hitti💝ng from Hardik, if he gets a ꩵcouple of wickets will be in line for the man of the match hamper
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75)
Excellent burst from Pandya. He hits boundaries from shap🦩es and positions that others may not be able to. Brilliant timer
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
5th Hatrick sixes for Hardik Pandya:
Imad to Pandya 6, 6, 6
Shadab to Pandya 6, 6, 6
Pushpa to Pandya 6, 6, 6
Zampa to Pandya 6, 6, 6
Astle to Pandya 6, 6, 6
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket)
Another hat-trick of sixes by Hardik Pandya today. Fourth t♑ime he has hit 3 sixes off 3 balls in ODIs. The only other batsman to do it 4 times in the last two decades is AB de Villiers.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad)
Brilliant innings, Hardik. Aaj tu karke aaya 👏🏼
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh)
Highes🐬t SR for batsmen in an ODI v NZ in NZ: (Minꦗ.20 balls faced)
260.00 – Shahid Afridi, Christchurch, 2011
231.03 – Shahid Afridi, Wellington, 2015
222.50 – Abdul Razzaq, Wellington, 2004
204.54 – Hardik Pandya, Wellington, 2019*— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman)