Pakistan legends hail Indian star, claim he could be the next captain

image-l9nnf4x3Hardik Pandya (Source: AP)

India picked up a sensational win over Pakistan to begin their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign.

Chasing a total of 160, the Indian top-order failed spectacularly and it was Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya who guided the Men in Blue home with a morale-boosting victory.

Reflecting on the performance of Pandya, former Pakistan players Misbah-Ul-Haq, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram lavished praise (h/t Hindustan Times) on the all-rounder.

Pandya has been a revelation since his return from injury. First, he led Gujarat Titans to an IPL win under his leadership and then impressed with the ball and the bat for team India. He looked in good touch prior to the Asia Cup but the all-rounder could not live up to the expectations in UAE.

He has managed to start the World Cup with a bang and it remains to be seen whether he can build on the performance against Pakistan and improve as the tournament progresses. 

The likes of Waqar claimed that Pandya could be the next captain of India given his mentality and maturity. 

The way he supported Virat Kohli during a crucial phase of the game was commendable. He was equally effective with the ball as well and he scalped three wickets. 

Misbah said: "If you look at Hardik Pandya, he donned the captaincy role for the first time in IPL and he led them to a win. He knows how to handle the pressure. He has the role of a finisher in the side and you can only finish games if you are mentally strong and have self belief. He read the game well and planned how to approach the chase against Pakistan."

Waqar added: “I won't be surprised if he is the next Indian captain."

Akram concluded: "First he was the captain of an IPL team and he won. Now he is the main force in the Indian side and he has a calming influence on Rohit Sharma with his advice. He is learning, but India should bide their time before throwing him at the deep end as their captain."

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