Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 19 : Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya became the fifth Indian batter to complete 2000 runs in T20I cricket during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
Pandya joined the elite list of Indian batters, including Rohit Sharma (4231 runs), Virat Kohli (4188 runs), Suryakumar Yadav (2788 runs) and KL Rahul (2265 runs).
Additionally, Pandya also slammed the second-fastest fifty for India in T20I cricket. He hammered a 16-ball half-century in his 63 off 25 deliveries, including five fours and as many sixes.
The record for the fastest fifty for India in T20Is is held by former cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who slammed a 12-ball fifty against England during the ICC T20 World Cup 2007 in Durban.
After winning the toss, South Africa asked India to bat. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened the innings for the hosts. Samson and Sharma gave India off to a flying start until Abhishek fell on 34 off 21, while taking a review down with him. The opening stand gave India 54 runs in 34 balls.
Tilak Varma joined Samson in the middle. India finished their power-play on 67-1. In the 9th over, Samson was cleaned by George Linde for 37 runs off 22 balls, and Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav joined Varma in the middle.
After 10 overs, India crossed the 100-run mark with Varma and Yadav unbeaten on the crease. The duo aim to keep two-down India going against the Proteas in the series decider.
Yadav's lean patch of runs continued as he was removed by Corbin Bosch for just five runs in the 13th over. Hardik Pandya came in when Yadav fell. He creamed as many as 32 runs off the first eight balls he faced.
In the 15th over, Varma slammed a four off Lungi Ngidi to bring up his sixth T20i fifty. Tilak's milestone was quickly followed by Pandya's explosive 50, reached in just 16 balls - the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in men's T20Is.
Brief score: India 231/5 (Tilak Varma 73, Hardik Pandya 63; Corbin Bosch 2/44). Vs South Africa.
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