Hardik Pandya scripts history in Dharamshala, joins Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah in elite T20I bowling club

Hardik Pandya completed a magnificent season in Dharamshala with a slice of history. In the third T20I against South Africa, he became only the third Indian bowler to reach 100 wickets in T20 Internationals. Now he stands shoulder to shoulder with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh; It’s not a bad club to be in.

Pandya got Tristan Stubbs out and that was it – wicket 100. The moment went straight into the record: “Hardik Pandya to Stubbs, caught by Jitesh Sharma! Here, South Africa four down!” That’s right.

Pandya threw one back a little and walked away a little. Stubbs took a loose shot, couldn’t get close to the cross and moved the ball aside. Jitesh Sharma took a safe catch behind the stumps. The crowd understood immediately; This was a turning point. Hardik’s 100th T20I wicket.

But here’s what makes it even bigger. Pandya has now become the first Indian to score both 1000 runs and 100 wickets in T20Is. This is a rare pairing and shows how much he brings to the team; He is not just a bowler or batsman but also an all-rounder. He’s now part of a pretty elite group around the world.

Funny enough, that wasn’t the only major bowling breakthrough for India in the series. Earlier, Bumrah had also taken his 100th T20I wicket. India’s bowlers are on fire.

With such form, Hardik Pandya shows why he is so important for Team India, especially as the T20 World Cup approaches. He is not only part of the team, but also a game changer.

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