IND vs PAK: Hardik Pandya Becomes First Indian, Overall 8th All-Rounder To Score 1000 Runs And Pick 50 Wickets In T20Is

Hardik Pandya has carried on his impressive run as an all-rounder in the ongoing season, and while at it, has achieved a rare distinction of a double of 1000-plus runs and 50 or more wickets in T20Is.  

He achieved the milestone during first Super 12 match against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, October 23. Before the game, Hardik was just 11 runs behind the 1000-run mark in T20Is. 

Chasing the target of 160 set by the Pakistani batters, India was struggling at 32-4 when Hardik arrived at the crease. Pakistani spinner Shadab Khan overpitched a delivery on the leg stump, and Hardik puts his entire bottom hand into a strong drive back past the stumps, leaving no chance for the Long-on fielder. 

Hardik Pandya Clears 1000 Runs Mark In T20I’s

Earlier, Hardik bowled a beautiful spell and returned with the figures of 3/30 in a high voltage game. Into his 74th T20I, he has scored 1026 runs at 26.30 and has bagged 57 wickets at 27.70 till date. 

Hardik Pandya also joined a select list of cricketers with 50 or more T20I wickets, alongside Yuzvendra Chahal (85), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (86), Jasprit Bumrah (70), Ravichandran Ashwin (66) and Ravindra Jadeja (51). 

A total of 8 men’s cricketers have scored more than 1000 runs and bagged over 50 wickets in T20Is till date, with star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan being the only player from the lot to have more than 100 wickets to his name. 

Mohammed Hafeez and Shahid Afridi from Pakistan, Kevin O’Brien, West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo, Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera, Afghanistan’s Mohammed Nabi completes the list. 

Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya has made a another big record in his name. Actually, Hardik Pandya has achieved the feat of taking 3 or more wickets in an innings thrice in International T20 matches against Pakistan. 

Hardik Pandya has equaled former Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga and Australia’s Andrew Tye in this matter.  

Also Read: IND vs PAK: In The T20 Format, Nobody Is A Favourite: Sunil Gavaskar