SYDNEY: Captain of India virat Kohli has identified Hardik pandya as its “profitable” match winner for the next four to five years after the SUV dazzled in its international Twenty20 series win over Australia on Sunday.
FULL SCORE CARD
India needed 25 runs in the final two overs and Pandya delivered in style, breaking two sixes in the final over to secure a six-wicket victory with two balls to spare.
“He has a raw natural talent, and now he’s quite experienced having played quite a bit of T20 Cricket in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and playing for India as well, “Kohli said after India’s second consecutive victory in the three-game series.
“Now he realizes that this is his moment, the next four or five years, to become that profitable mid-tier player who can win games from anywhere.
“You need that finisher and it’s becoming that for us. He’s hungry, he should keep improving.”
FULL SCORE CARD
India needed 25 runs in the final two overs and Pandya delivered in style, breaking two sixes in the final over to secure a six-wicket victory with two balls to spare.
“He has a raw natural talent, and now he’s quite experienced having played quite a bit of T20 Cricket in the IPL (Indian Premier League) and playing for India as well, “Kohli said after India’s second consecutive victory in the three-game series.
“Now he realizes that this is his moment, the next four or five years, to become that profitable mid-tier player who can win games from anywhere.
“You need that finisher and it’s becoming that for us. He’s hungry, he should keep improving.”
Pandya, whose 42 balls without 22 earned him the Man of the Match award, showed no signs of nervousness even as his run rate soared.
“I’ve always believed that as a cricketer you have to improve over time and I have taken a while, but I think things are going quite well now,” said the 27-year-old.
“Now my biggest goal … (is) that I want to finish the games where it matters most.”
Pandya said he was happy to hit where the team needs it.
“If the time comes when I have to hit number four, I don’t care.” “If the time comes when I have to finish the game, I have to do that job as well, whatever the team requires.”
The last Twenty20 game on Tuesday will also be played at the Sydney Cricket ground.
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