Team India scripted a thrilling win over arch-rivals in their Asia Cup clash on Sunday at Dubai International Stadium. It was Hardik Pandya‘s all-round performance which took Team India to victory in the nail-biting thriller. The all-rounder first helped India to bundle out Pakistan at 147 by scalping three wickets and later smashed 33 runs off 17 balls, including the winning six, to give his side a five-wicket win. Appreciating his performance, former India head coach Ravi Shastri took to Twitter and called him the “best T20 all-rounder.”

“Needed the best T20 all-rounder in the business to power India across the finish line -@hardikpandya7,” tweeted Ravi Shastri.

Needed the best T20 all-rounder in the business to power India across the finish line – @hardikpandya7 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/78zXFF3Ctm

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) August 29, 2022

Earlier in the day, former India batter Sachin Tendulkar also congratulated Team India and Hardik for the great performance against Pakistan.

“It came down to fitness of the fast bowlers while put under pressure, though both teams’ pacers bowled well upfront. Crucial knock by Hardik to stay till the end & get us over the line & ably supported by @imjadeja & Virat. Congrats 🇮🇳 on a nail-biting win. #INDvsPAK,” tweeted Sachin.

It came down to fitness of the fast bowlers while put under pressure, though both teams’ pacers bowled well upfront.

Crucial knock by Hardik to stay till the end & get us over the line & ably supported by @imjadeja & Virat.

Congrats 🇮🇳 on a nail-biting win.#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/dYhiaa3Omh

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 28, 2022

Life came full circle for Hardik Pandya at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday as he went on to play a match-winning knock against Pakistan, the same opponent, against whom he had gotten injured in 2018 during the Asia Cup and was forced to miss almost three years of cricket action.

In a video shared on the official website of BCCI, Hardik can be seen chatting with Ravindra Jadeja, and he speaks about how he had gotten injured in 2018.

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“I was remembering it all. I was stretchered off at the same venue against the same opponent in the 2018 Asia Cup. You feel a sense of achievement because the things that have happened in the past, today I got an opportunity. The journey is beautiful. The fruits of our journey come to us, but behind the scenes, a lot of people do not get credit who walk along with us,” said Hardik.

Team India will next square off against Hong Kong in Group A clash on Wednesday.