I have won back my fans, says Hardik
India all-rounder Hardik Pandya feels he has “won back” his fans following his match-winning contributions during the ICC T20 World Cup title victory last year.
Pandya was repeatedly booed by the Mumbai Indian fans in the IPL last year after he replaced Rohit Sharma as the side’s captain following his move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 edition of the lucrative league. But he put all the negativity behind him when the Indian team flew to the Americas for the T20 World Cup and dished out match-winning performances.
He ended up scoring 144 runs and taking 11 wickets in the global tournament as India reclaimed the Cup after 2007. “They (fans) said, life for me, had come a full circle. They said, from here on, there was no looking back. I had won them (fans) back,” said Pandya.
With the Champions Trophy in full swing, Pandya said the drive to emerge champions once again was very much there in the players. “A new year, a new tournament and a new challenge awaits us. Our quest to become champions once again has begun,” he said.
Pandya bowled four overs in their opening match against Bangladesh, giving away just 20 runs without taking a wicket. He returned 2/31 against Pakistan, picking up the key wickets of Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel.
