AB de Villiers applauded Hardik Pandya’s heroics on the biggest stage. Arshdeep Singh was clinical at sweeper cover, where the final ball of the T20 World Cup had sailed to remove all finicky mystery surrounding victory for India; Hardik Pandya could not control his tears and cried.
The last few months, especially, had been rough for him, as he was booed at every opportunity by Mumbai Indians fans. But he was to be India’s hero in the final against South Africa, with best for 3/20, as he ended the tournament with 11 wickets and scored 144 runs.
Ab De Villiers prays for Hardik Pandya
Keeping all the cricket fans together, even legends like AB de Villiers applauded for Hardik Pandya’s heroics on the biggest stage. The point made by Ab De Villiers was that the kind of criticism was thrown towards Hardik before he learned to not be bogged down under it, in short. In his post-match interview, Hardik Pandya was visibly emotional as he spoke of the hardships that he had to endure to return and De Villiers went on Twitter following the game, urging all those who doubted him before.
Ab De Villiers told his YouTube channel:
It’s the great moments, for me. On one stage, you get a guy like Hardik Pandya who has gone through the Mumbai Indians route and moved from Gujarat to play for Mumbai; all the flak that he had received going into bat in the T20 World Cup final after getting hold of the ball by command. He doesn’t bowl earlier on. This was his time to show every cricket loving Indian what he is made of.
Ab De Villiers added:
He made everyone proud. Although I did not want him to take that route, he definitely earned my respect. He is a big man in size for some from conservative America, and a baller magnified most at the biggest moment. All Mumbai Indians fans who doubted him , I am certain he has wriggled his way into your hearts for the time to come.
Ab De Villiers Sends a Message to His Critics And Hardik Pandya Recognition
After his brilliant all-round display, Hardik was named the top-ranked T20I all-rounder in the world on Wednesday, becoming the only Indian to achieve No. 1. He overthrew Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga as he received the majority support.
The Indian team returned home victorious early on Thursday morning. After reaching Delhi, they visited the ITC Maurya, where skipper Rohit Sharma cut a cake to celebrate their win. The players, led by a dancing Hardik Pandya, celebrated with Bhangra on their return to the hotel. The team will then be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over breakfast and resting for some time. Next, they will be in Mumbai for an open-bus parade from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, marking their hero’s return with the fans.
The journey of Hardik Pandya from a phase when he was booed by the fans to one where he won them over in style with his performances changed him into the hero for India in their 2024 T20 World Cup final win. It showcases his mental toughness and the skills required at this level. The backing of former cricketers such as AB de Villiers and the ICC No. 1 rank in T20I all-rounders is enough to prove that Pandya has silenced his critics once and for all.
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