Hardik Pandya becomes India's third-highest wicket-taker in T20 WC history
Jun 05, 2024
New York [US], June 5 : Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya became the third-highest wicket-taker for India in the history of the ICC T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
Pandya achieved this movement up in the charts during his side's match against Ireland at Nassau County Stadium.
In the match, Pandya did well with the ball, taking 3/27 in four overs, at an economy rate of just 6.75. He got the wickets of Lorcan Tucker, Curtis Campher and Mark Adair.
In 17 T20 WC matches, Pandya has taken 16 wickets at an average of 22.25 and a strike rate of 15.00, with the best bowling figures of 3/27. His wicket-tally is tied with Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh.
The top two wicket-takers for India in T20 WC are Ravindra Jadeja (21 in 23 matches) and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (32 wickets in 24 matches).
The highest wicket-taker in T20 WC is Bangladesh's all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (47 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 18.63 and economy rate of 6.48, with best figures of 4/9.
Coming to the match, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field first. The Indian bowlers put pressure on Irish batters from the start and had them struggling at 50/8. Some fightback from Gerath Delany (26 in 14 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Joshua Little (14 in 13 balls, with two fours) helped Ireland push the total to 96 in 16 overs.
Hardik Pandya (3/27), Arshdeep Singh (2/35), Jasprit Bumrah (2/6), Mohammed Siraj (1/13) and Axar Patel (1/3) put up fine bowling performances.
During the run-chase of 97 runs, a half-century from skipper Rohit Sharma (52 in 37 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and a supportive knock by Rishabh Pant (36* in 26 balls, with three fours and two sixes) helped India secure an eight-wicket win.
