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Pandya’s misfortune struck during the third delivery of the ninth over when he attempted to halt a powerful straight drive from Bangladesh’s opener, Litton Das.Using his right foot in a follow-through attempt, Pandya aimed to stop the ball. Regrettably, this effort led to an ankle twist, causing the all-rounder to stumble and take a painful tumble to the ground.From the moment he attempted to rise to his feet, Pandya experienced discomfort, and following a brief delay for treatment, he received strapping on his injured right ankle. Despite these efforts, it became evident that he was unable to continue, leading to his departure from the field. His absence prompted the entry of Suryakumar Yadav as a substitute fielder.
“Hardik Pandya’s injury is being assessed at the moment and he is being taken for scans,” BCCI posted on X, while giving the updates on the situation.
However, much to the delight of the crowd, Virat Kohli took the unexpected step of rolling his arm over to complete the over, a role usually reserved for specialist bowlers. Kohli’s performance proved commendable as he conceded just two runs during the over, winning cheers from the spectators.
Choosing to bat first, Bangladesh had initially struggled but managed to make a strong recovery after an unimposing start. At the ten-over mark, they had reached an impressive score of 63 for no loss. With the game’s momentum shifting after Pandya’s unfortunate injury, the cricket fans in attendance were left in suspense, eager to witness how the match would further unfold.
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(With inputs from PTI)