Hardik Pandya He proved once again why he is considered one of the most elite athletes in world cricket with a moment of breathtaking brilliance in the field. High stakes in the 4th T20I encounter against New Zealand In Vizag, his lightning-quick reflexes turned a routine single into a game-changing breakthrough for the Team. India. By executing the almost impossible direct hit, he eliminated the dangerous one Mitchell Santner as the Kiwi captain began to find his rhythm.
IND vs NZ, 4th T20I: Hardik Pandya produces a stunning direct hit to dismiss Mitchell Santner
Santner’s dismissal at 16.1 was a masterclass in the modern field, showcasing the explosive athleticism Hardik brings to the Indian side. It started with a fine backhand from Jasprit Bumrah that made Santner miss for a ground and the batter closed his face a bit early on 11 off 6 balls.
The resulting outside edge drifted to short third man, a position in which batsmen often feel safe enough to steal a quick, opportunistic single to spin the shot. Seeing a momentary lapse in concentration, Santner went for a run, but he had grossly underestimated Pandya’s speed as he rounded the inner circle. Hardik struck the ball with predatory grace, collecting it cleanly in one fluid motion before unleashing a fiery, straight shot that behaved more like a controlled racket.
The ball whistled through the air and crashed with devastating accuracy at the bowler’s end directly into the base of the stumps, leaving the Kiwi skipper unable to reach the ground. Despite Santner’s desperate full-length dive, the third umpire confirmed the OUT signal, reducing New Zealand to 163/6 and halting their momentum. The brilliant move was a reminder that Pandya remains India’s best game-changer, capable of creating wickets out of thin air even without the ball in hand.
We present the video:
Bullseye 🎯
Hardik Pandya with a great direct hit 🔥
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New Zealand sets a huge target against India in Vizag T20I
Saw 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam New Zealand post a massive 215/7 After India won the toss and elected to field first in humid conditions. Tim Seifert The New Zealander led the charge with 36 off 62 balls, registering the fastest T20I half-century against India in just 25 deliveries. Devon Conway The pair provided excellent support with 44 off 23 balls as they shared an opening stand of a century in just 8.2 overs to confound the Indian attack.
India finally found a breakthrough Kuldeep Yadav He removed Conway and completed his spell with average figures of 2/39 from 4 overs. Bumrah followed up with a quick dismissal Rachin Ravindra 2 for 2, eventually finishing his quota with 1/38 despite batting late. The Kiwis suffered a significant middle-order collapse, slipping from a dominant 100/0 to 152/5. Ravi Bishnoi removed Mark Chapman (9). Arshdeep Singh dangerous Seifert and the removal, death proved important Zachary Foulkes (13) 2/35 ending in neat numbers. Rinku Singh was a magnet in the field, incredibly claiming 4 catches throughout the innings to keep the pressure on the visitors’ lower order.
Daryl Mitchell He was the hero of the final innings for the Black Caps, hitting an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls to pass 200. Harshit RanaStruggling under pressure, giving up 14 runs in 20. Leading the series 3-0, India now require a mammoth 10.8 for 216 runs to maintain their perfect record. All eyes remain on it Sanju SamsonDesperate for a big score after managing just 16 runs in the previous 3 overs in this series.
Also READ: IND vs NZ: Here’s why Ishan Kishan will not play in today’s 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam
