Hardik Pandya Reveals Strategy Which Propelled India To T20 World Cup 2024 Title

Hardik Pandya took a trip down memory lane to his match-winning spell against South Africa in the 2024 final in Barbados that played a decisive role in India ending their 17-year-long ICC T20 World Cup trophy hiatus. The 31-year-old all-rounder said how he planned to bowl wide from Klaasen, who was taking his team home, and keep the delivery slow to outfox the Proteas batter. India and South Africa stormed into the final, unbeaten, to fight for the coveted title. With a classic Virat Kohli in the first innings, India managed to put 176/7 on the board.

In reply, with his sheer power hitting, Heinrich Klaasen singlehandedly swung the momentum in South Africa's favour. While facing India's crafty spinners, Klaasen muscled the ball away past the boundary rope according to his will and brought the equation down to 26 needed in 24 balls.

India needed a miracle, a moment that could reignite the hope of lifting the title after the dust settled. The much-needed spark came from Pandya in the 16th over, who went wide to draw an edge from Klaasen and change the destiny of both sides.

"There was not much spoken. Ro (Rohit Sharma) and I have played for so many years. He knows what character I am, what personality I am and how much I value cricket awareness. So, just before the ball, I just told him that I was going to go wide to Klaasen. I just knew he was going to expect a ball which is on the stumps," Pandya said in a video posted by the ICC.

In a bid to outfox Klaasen, Pandya took the gamble of going wide with a slower delivery without making any adjustments to the field. Pandya's trick worked wonders as Klaasen fell straight into the trap.

"His leg was a little leg side, so I knew he was going to try to hit me there, and that's