It took Hardik Pandya one ball to announce himself in Ahmedabad. The bat came down in a full arc, the ball went up and over, and somewhere beyond the rope a cameraman found himself part of the moment.
Ahmedabad had barely settled when Pandya, walking in mid-innings, turned the fifth T20I on Friday into a reminder of how quickly a game can change when he decides to intervene.Walking in during the 13th over, the all-rounder hit a six off his first ball, which also struck a cameraman standing at long-off.
Pandya came in after India captain Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for five off seven balls on the first delivery of the 13th over.
Yadav was caught by David Miller off the bowling of Corbin Bosch.Facing his first ball, a length delivery outside off from Bosch, Pandya walked down the pitch and hit a lofted drive for six. The shot went to long-off and struck the cameraman, who was later attended to by the Indian team physio.In the following over, Pandya took on George Linde, hitting three sixes and two fours to collect 27 runs from the over.
Pandya brought up his half-century in just 16 balls, the second-fastest fifty for India in T20 internationals after Yuvraj Singh’s 12-ball effort.
He was eventually dismissed at 63 off just 25 balls, hitting 5 sixes and as many fours in his innings. India scored a massive 231 for 5 in the 20 overs. Earlier, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl in the fifth and final T20I. The visitors made one change, bringing in spin all-rounder George Linde in place of fast bowler Anrich Nortje.India brought back Jasprit Bumrah, who had missed the third T20I in Dharamsala due to personal reasons, replacing Harshit Rana. Washington Sundar came in for Kuldeep Yadav.Sanju Samson was named in the XI in place of vice-captain Shubman Gill, who was ruled out of the final two matches due to a toe injury.
