India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya delivered a fierce and taunting send-off to Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam after dismissing him for 23 during their high-stakes Champions Trophy clash on February 23 in Dubai. The fiery moment came after Babar had confidently struck a boundary off Pandya’s previous delivery, only to be undone on the very next ball.
Babar, carrying the expectations of Pakistan fans, opened the innings alongside Imam-ul-Haq, who replaced the injured Fakhar Zaman. The Pakistan captain got off to a fluent start, hitting five crisp boundaries in his 23-run knock at a strike rate of 88.46. However, his promising innings was cut short in the ninth over when Pandya bowled a sharp delivery that swung away, finding the outside edge of Babar’s bat. India’s wicketkeeper KL Rahul made no mistake in taking the catch, triggering jubilant celebrations amongst the Indian players.
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Visibly fired up after being hit for a four on the previous ball, Pandya ensured he had the final say. As Babar walked back to the pavilion, the Indian all-rounder gave him an animated send-off, a moment that instantly went viral on social media.
Watch the video here:
Pakistan, already under immense pressure following their loss to New Zealand in their campaign opener, needed a win to stay alive in the tournament. However, things quickly worsened for them. In the very next over, a brilliant throw from Axar Patel saw Imam-ul-Haq run out for just 10, deepening Pakistan’s troubles.
With two early wickets lost, Pakistan’s hopes of staying in the Champions Trophy took a massive hit, while India’s disciplined bowling attack continued to pile pressure on their arch-rivals in this high-voltage encounter.
