Hardik Pandya scripted history by becoming the first Indian to achieve the landmark of 1,500 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. He reached the milestone during the third T20I against Aiden Markram’s South Africa on Sunday, December 14, at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, Malaysia’s Virandeep Singh, Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza are the other players to have achieved the feat in Men’s T20Is.
India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I Updates
In Women’s T20Is, Pakistan’s Nida Dar, Australia’s Ellyse Perry, Uganda’s Janet Mbabazi, New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews have also achieved the double of 1,500 runs and 100 wickets.
Hardik also became the third Indian in men’s T20Is to reach the milestone of 100 wickets, after Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah. Arshdeep was the first to achieve the feat, reaching the mark during India’s Asia Cup clash against Oman earlier this year in Dubai with the dismissal of Vinayak Shukla.
Bumrah, meanwhile, brought up his 100th T20I wicket in the ongoing series, achieving the landmark in the series opener in Cuttack with the wicket of Dewald Brevis. Deepti Sharma is the only Indian in Women’s T20Is with the feat.
As for Hardik, he reached the 100-wicket mark in T20Is with the dismissal of Tristan Stubbs. On the final ball of the seventh over in the Dharamsala T20I, Hardik bowled a back-of-a-length delivery outside off that shaped away from the batter.
Stubbs played a loose shot away from his body, edged it thickly, and Jitesh Sharma completed a safe catch behind the stumps.
Hardik has been in excellent form in the series against the Proteas. In Cuttack, he was named Player of the Match after India secured a massive 101-run victory to take a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.
His blistering 25-ball fifty and a 59-run knock off 28 deliveries powered India to a comprehensive win. Hardik is expected to play a key role as India defend their Men’s T20 World Cup title at home next year.
– Ends
