India’s prolific all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all set to miss two league-stage fixtures against Sri Lanka & South Africa in the ODI World Cup 2023. This is because Hardik Pandya is still recovering from his ankle injury which he sustained against Bangladesh. Pandya has not featured in a single match since October 19 & management doesn’t want to rush him to at least the final matches of the league stage against the Netherlands on November 12.
How did Hardik Pandya suffer an Injury?
Hardik Pandya suffered an injury while bowling against Bangladesh in Pune. He incidentally twisted his ankle while trying to stop a shot with his right foot during his follow-through. After the injury, he couldn’t participate further & was taken for scans. The reports termed him unfit for India’s fixture against New Zealand in Dharamsala. However, there were hopes of Hardik joining the team for their next fixture against England in Lucknow. But he was forced to sit out of that game as well because the scans revealed that he had sustained a ligament injury & needed some more time to recover.
Pandya has since been undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru & is expected to recover on time. To make up the void due to Hardik’s absence, India played Suryakumar Yadav and replaced Shardul Thakur with Mohammed Shami against New Zealand. Though Surya was run out for 2, Shami didn’t let the management down as he picked up five-for & helped India restrict New Zealand to under 300. Thanks to Shami’s brilliant spell, India had little trouble getting rid of England & they chased the target easily registering a massive 100-run win.
After that fixture, India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said that the medical team was in constant touch with Pandya and the NCA and that they were hoping to get an update on his fitness in the “next couple of days”. But now as per the latest reports, Hardik will be out of action for two more games & will probably return for their final league stage fixtures.
Coming to the ODI World Cup 2023, India is on top of the Points Table & is the only unbeaten team in the tournament with six wins in six matches. They will next lock horns with Sri Lanka, in Mumbai on November 2, before heading to Kolkata for the game against South Africa. India will then round off the league stages by taking on the Netherlands in Bengaluru.
Also read, ICC ODI Rankings: Shaheen Afridi becomes No 1 ODI bowler
