‘Take nothing away from Bumrah, but Pandya was the difference’: South Africa coach Shukri Conrad all praise for India all-rounder | Cricket News
Hardik Pandya returned to international cricket after over two months in India’s five-match T20I series against South Africa and showed just how lethal he is in the format when fit and firing. Pandya blasted a total 142 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 186.84 with two half-centuries, in addition to bowling some crucial overs and taking three wickets to boot. His second fifty of the series came in the fifth T20I and it was the second fastest of all time for an Indian man in the format. Pandya’s belligerence was a huge part of India getting to a score of 231/5, which ultimately proved to be the difference as South Africa finished with 201/8 in reply. India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was also as impressive as he usually is, returning figures of 2/14 amid all the big hits, but South Africa coach Shukri Conrad reckoned that Pandya’s knock was the difference. “Taking nothing away from (Jasprit) Bumrah, I think Hardik has been the difference in the two teams,” he told reporters after …
