ICC CWC 2023: "Could not be more proud....": Hardik wishes Team India luck ahead of final against Australia
Nov 18, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 18 : Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya on Saturday wished his team luck ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup final against Australia.
A lot of nostalgia will be in the air when India takes to the field for their ICC Cricket World Cup final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After registering a heavy loss to Aussies 20 years back in a title clash in South Africa, Men in Blue will be aiming to avenge that painful memory and write another glorious chapter of its cricket history with their third 50-over World Cup title win, that too at home.
Pandya took to X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to convey his best wishes to India.
"I could not be more proud of this team. Everything we have done so far, how far we have come has been due to years of hard work behind us. Now we are one step away from glory, from doing something special we dreamt of as children. Lifting the cup not only for ourselves, but also for billions of people behind us. Always behind you, with my love and heart, now let us bring the cup home, Jay Hind," said Pandya in his video.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzyJOsaMoz0/?hl=en
Pandya was part of India's World Cup squad. He played four matches, picking five wickets with the best bowling figures of 2/34 and scoring 11* against Australia in his only innings before an ankle injury sustained during league stage game against Bangladesh ruled him out of the tournament.
Pandya was replaced in the squad by pacer Prasidh Krishna. Pandya's injury came as a massive blow for India, who relied on Pandya for his extra overs of pace and his incredible skills as a hitter. Though an important member of the team due to the balance his all-round skills bring to it, his absence has been filled well by Suryakumar Yadav, who has delivered some decent finishes and pacer Mohammed Shami, who is the leading pacer of the tournament so far with 23 scalps in just six games and best figures of 7/57.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Prasidh Krishna, Suryakumar Yadav.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
