Hardik Pandya shown no mercy with ‘okay to be unique’ remark after bizarre Chahal move costs India seven-year low vs WI
India were twice on top during West Indies’ chase of 153 in the second T20I. One, when Hardik Pandya picked two wickets in the very first over before Arshdeep Singh struck with the new ball as well, leaving the hosts three down in less than four overs in Guyana. But a counterattacking knock from Nicholas Pooran ensured the hosts were right back in and it started with 18 runs being smashed off the final over of the powerplay.
India went 0-2 down in the five-match T20I series against West Indies on Sunday
The next instance was when Mukesh Kumar made the most crucial breakthrough for India by dismissing Pooran, before Yuzvendra Chahal inflicted a collapse, picking two wickets in one over. For India a series-levelling win was starting to look certain despite the home team needing 23 off 24. But a bizarre move from India captain Hardik saw the tourists lose by two wickets and succumb to a seven-year low.
After Mukesh dismissed Pooran for 69 off 40 in the 14th over, Hardik brought back Ravi Bishnoi to complete his quota and get rid of another left-handed explosive hitter in Shimron Hetmyer. But while the youngster failed, fellow leg-spinner Chahal got the job done in the final ball of the 16th over, where he had also dismissed Jason Holder for a duck while Romario Shepherd was run out.
West Indies stood 23 runs away from the target with four overs left and two wickets in hand. Akeal Hosein was their last option. But a win was certain for India because they still had another over left of Chahal.
After Mukesh was down with the 17th over, Chahal was expected to complete his final quota in the 18th. And while the leg-spinner was making his way upto the bowling crease, Hardik handed the ball to Arshdeep Singh and then to Mukesh. Akeal smashed a boundary each of the two pacers while Alzarri Joseph hit a six off Mukesh leaving Chahal a mere spectator as he watched West Indies sail to a two-wicket win.
This was the first time ever that India lost two consecutive T20I matches against West Indies in a bilateral series. However, they have previously lost two in a row against Windies in the format – June 2009 (by 7 wickets) and May 2010 (by 14 runs), and March 2016 (by 7 wickets) and August 2016 (by 1 run). Both these sets of losses came under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.
As India succumbed to a seven-year low against West Indies, Hardik was blasted using his own remark from the ODI series for his move to not bowl out Chahal. When Hardik had walked out for toss in the final ODI match with the series on the line, former Windies player Samuel Badree asked what it would mean if he failed to carry forward India’s winning streak against West Indies in bilateral ODI series and the stand-in skipper had replied saying: “It’s okay. I like to be unique.”
Here are some of the reactions…
Hardik however blamed India’s batting performance behind going 0-2 down in the five-match series. “If am being honest that was a not a pleasing batting performance, we could have batted better. 160+ or 170 would have been a good total,” he said. The 3rd T20I will be at the same venue on Tuesday.
