IND vs NZ: “Disappointment Will Be There, But We Can’t Go Back And Change Things” – Hardik Pandya On India's T20 World Cup Campaign

India National Cricket Team stand-in captain Hardik Pandya has said that the disappointment of not being able to perform very well in the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is there but now they can’t go back and change things.

Rohit Sharma-led India managed to enter the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 after winning 4 games in the Super 12 stage. The Men In Blue locked horns with champions Jos Buttler-led England in the second semi-final where they faced an embarrassing 10-wicket defeat at the Adelaide Oval.

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Speaking after the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand, Hardik Pandya, who is leading the side in the absence of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, talked about India’s yet another failed World Cup campaign. Hardik said that he has already left the World Cup memories behind and his main focus is on the series against New Zealand. He asserted:

“The World Cup is done, I’ve left it behind. The disappointment will be there, but we can’t go back and change things. We’re now looking forward to this series.”

Notably, the first T20I between the Men In Blue and the Black Caps, which was set to be played at the Sky Stadium in Wellington on Friday, November 18, was abandoned due to rain without a ball bowled.

Unfortunate to not get a game – Hardik Pandya

The 29-year-old said that they were very excited to play against New Zealand and it’s disappointing that the match was called off. He said:

“Boys were quite excited to play. NZ is a great country, a great place to play. Unfortunate to not get a game. A lot of people came quite early as well, we were excited but this is something we as professional cricketers need to accept.”

Hardik Pandya further said that the young players in the Indian team are not inexperienced as they have played a lot of games in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also said that the ongoing India tour of New Zealand 2022 is all about giving opportunities to youngsters to express themselves. He elaborated:

“I know the other boys will follow exactly what the management and captain would say, they are all professionals. These guys are young by age, but not by experience. They have played plenty of IPL and got a good amount of Internationals as well.

“I think the youngsters of today don’t get intimidated by not having played too much cricket. If the situation demands, I and the more experienced players will play different roles, but this tour is for the new guys to get more clarity, opportunities and a chance to express themselves.”

Also Read: IND vs NZ: “Who Is Watching Such Dreams” – Salman Butt Shares His Take On Hardik Pandya Replacing Rohit Sharma As T20I Captain