Former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis hailed the Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya for dismissing Babar Azam in a crucial Super 4 game of the Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo. The Indian vice-captain rattled Babar with a peach of a delivery that jagged back into the batter, which ended up dismissing the Pakistan skipper.
Babar Azam was not at his usual best against the arch-rivals India, as the Men in Blue displayed a pure exhibition of fast bowling against the Pakistan top-order batters. The Pakistan skipper struggled against Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj before Hardik Pandya ended his innings with a brilliant incoming ball on Monday.
Speaking on Star Sports, Waqar Younis feels it is a luxury to have a bowler like Hardik Pandya in any team because he can bowl on any surface and has different bowling styles to adapt to different playing situations. He also thinks that if there’s some swing during the powerplay, he can be just as lethal as Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
“It’s a luxury to have someone like him in the middle overs as he can bowl in all sorts of situations. He is smart and if the pitches are slow and flat, then he manages those slower deliveries and other variations. But when the ball is swinging around, he did exactly the same what Bumrah and Siraj did,” Waqar Younis said.
Indian team has performed well in ODIs over the last two years and it was largely due to the balance in the team with Hardik Pandya contributing to the team’s success with both bat and ball.
The all-rounder was brilliant with the bat being the top-scorer for India in the Asia Cup opener and could be crucial for the team’s chances going forward in the continental event.
It Was A Beautiful Delivery That Seamed Back – Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis decoded the bowling plans of Hardik Pandya against Babar Azam in the Super 4 game, where he made the Pakistan skipper play a little away from his body and lauded him for his brilliant cross-seam delivery with the new ball.
“He asked Babar to play a little away from the body and that’s what you need. You need a small gap to go through. It was a beautiful delivery that seamed back,” Waqar Younis added.
India enjoyed complete dominance over Pakistan, as the Men in Green has never defeated the Men in the Blue side in 50-over World Cup tournaments and only defeated them for the first time in the T20 World Cup in the 2021 edition.
The teams will have the opportunity to face each other if they manage to reach the finals of the continental event in Sri Lanka.