“197 is good score here”: Hardik Pandya on defending total against Bangladesh in T20 WC

North Sound [Antigua], June 22 (ANI): After playing an unbeaten fifty against Bangladesh in their second match of the Super 8s of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya said that “197 is a good score to defend” on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Pandya played an unbeaten knock of 50 runs off just 27 balls, which was laced with four boundaries and three maximums in his innings. The right-hand batter scored runs at a strike rate of 185.19.

“The wicket looked alright, the par would have been 180, but we got 197 I think that is like a good score here. Hopefully, with our bowling line-up, and a little bit of consistency, we will be able to do well. He (Dube) had to take his time because his role was to take on the spinners, I think when the time came, we both were allowed to free our hands and that was very important to us. It tends to get slower at the end, discipline and good bowling will be crucial,” Pandya said in the mid-innings interview.

Coming to the match, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to field first. Openers skipper Rohit Sharma (23 in 11 balls, with three fours and a six) and Virat Kohli (37 in 28 balls, with a four and three sixes) put on an attacking 39-run opening stand. After early dismissals of the openers and Suryakumar Yadav (6), India was restricted to 77/3 in 8.3 overs. Then, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (36 in 24 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes), Shivam Dube (34 in 24 balls, with three sixes) and Hardik Pandya (50* in 27 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) pushed India to 196/5 in their 20 overs.

Dube-Pandya had a fine 53-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Tanzim Hasan Sakib (2/32) and Rashid Hossain (2/43) were the top bowlers for Bangladesh.

India needs to defend 197 runs to win and have a foot in the door for the semis.

India is in second place in Group 1 of Super Eights, with a win against Afghanistan and two points. Bangladesh is at the bottom place, having lost their game against Australia. This is a crucial game for them to keep their Super Eights hopes alive while India will pretty much reach the semifinals with a win over Bangladesh.