India made a great recovery in the fifth ODI against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium in Wellington to reach 252 after being reduced to 18 for 4 in the e🐼arly♒ 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.
Also WATCH: Trent Boult bowls an absolute jaffa to clean up MS Dhoni
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.
Cricke🎀t fans also applauded Hardik on Twitter for his quick-fire 45.
Terrific🦩 hitting from Hardik, if he gets a couple of wickets will be in line for the man of the matc🐼h hamper
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75)
Excellent burst from Pandya. He hits boundaries from shapes and positions that others ꦍmay 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 time he has hit 3 sixes off 3 balls in ODIs. The only other b꧑atsman 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)
Highest SR for batꦚsmen in an ODI v NZ in NZ: (Min.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)
