‘Brilliantly paced innings’: Sachin Tendulkar impressed by Hardik Pandya’s 4th IPL half-century powering Mumbai Indians to 195/5 vs Rajasthan Royals

Hardik Pandya’s 4th IPL half-century: The hard-hitting batsman from the defending champions became a source of amazement in Abu Dhabi.

During the 45th match of the ongoing 13th season of the Indian Premier League between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi, Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s fourth IPL half-century has powered his team to a formidable 195/5 in 20 overs.

Coming in to bat at No. 6 in the 14th over, Pandya took the opposition bowlers to the cleaners as it was him who rescued Indians after they lost as many as three wickets in quick succession in the middle-order.

Having scored eight runs on the first nine balls that he faced, Pandya ended up hitting 52 runs on the next 12 deliveries to play a freaky innings. The right-hand batsman first targeted Rajasthan Royals pacer Ankit Rajpoot in the 18th over by hitting as many as four sixes.

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Not been able to find the boundary against Jofra Archer in the penultimate over, Pandya then attacked Kartik Tyagi in the last over by hitting three sixes and two fours to end up scoring 60* (21) with the help of two fours and seven sixes. After MI captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and chose to bat, the team would be contended with the first-innings score.

As far as the bowlers from Royals are concerned, Shreyas Gopal and Archer were the pick of the lot with a couple of wickets each under their belt tonight.

Hardik Pandya’s 4th IPL half-century

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