"Have always been someone who has played for fans...": Hardik Pandya following match-winning 53 in Pune

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 1 : Following India's win over England in the fourth T20I, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who scored a match-winning half-century, opened up about his special bond with fans and how he loves entertaining them and making sure that their money is well spent after every fine knock from his willow.
Pandya added one more knock to his increasing catalogue of stylish, clutch knocks under pressure as he had a 87-run stand with Shivam Dube, that lifted India from 12/3 to a match-winning total of 181/9. He also became the fifth-highest run-getter in T20Is for India.
Speaking in a video by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Pandya said that the fans cheering give him additional motivation.
"I have always been someone who has played for the fans. When they are there, when they are chanting, it gives me that added motivation. I want to do really well for them," he said.
Pandya also talked about his love for cricket, which he calls his "life, priority and first love".
"This sport does not wait much. Your first love always gives the kiss back. The sport has given me so much love and so much things back, I feel I have always have to turn up and be very honest and loyal to the sport," he added.
The all-rounder said that batting has always been close to his heart and playing a good knock gives him a "wonderful feeling" before he goes to sleep.
"I think today, the sport said, you deserve that. A lot of things have changed post the World Cup (T20 WC win last year. I really love to entertain the crowd and make sure every penny that they have spent is worth it," he signed off.
Now in 113 T20Is and 89 innings, Pandya has scored 1,803 runs at an average of 28.17 and a strike rate of 141.63. He has scored five half-centuries, with best score of 71*.
On the other hand, in 68 matches, Dhawan scored 1,759 runs at an average of 27.92 and a strike rate of 126.36, with best score of 92 and 11 fifties in 66 innings.
The highest run-getter for India in T20Is is former T20 World Cup winning captain Rohit Sharma, with 4,231 runs in 159 matches and 151 innings at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89. He scored five centuries and 32 fifties, with best score of 121*. He is followed by Virat Kohli (4,188 runs in 125 matches at an average of 48.69, with a century and 38 fifties) and Suryakumar Yadav (2,596 runs in 82 matches and 78 innings at an average of 38.74, with four centuries and 21 fifties).
Coming to the match, England won the toss and elected to field first. India was reduced to 12/3 by pacer Saqib Mahmood (3/35) after he got Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav in one over. Abhishek Sharma (29 in 19 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Rinku Singh (30 in 26 balls, with four boundaries and a six) played crucial knocks, but India still reeled at 79/5. An 87-run partnership between Hardik Pandya (53 in 34 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Dube (53 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) helped India reach 181/9 in their 20 overs. Overton (4/32) and Adil Rashid (1/35) also bowled fine spells.
In the run-chase, Phil Salt (23 in 21 balls, with four boundaries) and Ben Duckett (39 in 19 balls, with seven fours) put England to a fine start, adding 62 runs for the first wicket. However, Indian spinners helped the hosts bounce back and left England at 95/4. Harry Brook (51 in 26 balls, with five fours and two sixes) did score a half-century, but wickets fell quickly on the other end, with Harshit (3/33) and spinner Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) taking the spotlight. England was restricted at 166 and lost by 15 runs.
Dube got the 'Player of the Match' award. India has won the series 3-1.