 "Hardik Pandya ran Mitchell Santner out with a brilliant direct hit from short third man during the fourth T20I between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam. Image credit: Screengrab/JioHotstar")
Not only is Hardik Pandya equally adept with bat and ball, he also happens to be one of the better fielders in the Indian team. The all-rounder highlighted this side of his game with a superb piece of fielding during the fourth T20I against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, which concluded with Pandya getting opposition captain Mitchell Santner run-out with a direct hit.
LIVE | India vs New Zealand, 4th T20I in Visakhapatnam
The dismissal took place at the start of the death overs, with Santner pushing off for a single after an outside edge off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling carried the ball towards Pandya, who was stationed at short third man.
Pandya’s rocket arm catches Santner short
The Black Caps skipper decided to take a chance and bring Daryl Mitchell on strike despite it being a risky single, only to pay dearly for it in the end. Not even a dive could save him in the end though, with Pandya’s powerful throw down the ground proving to be inch-perfect.
Watch the dismissal here:
Santner, who had skipped the ODI leg of New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India, had made useful contributions in the ongoing series including an unbeaten 47 off 27 balls in the second T20I in Raipur. And while he was off to a promising start at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Wednesday with a four and a six, a risky single ended up cutting his innings short.
Black Caps post 215/7 in Vizag after being invited to bat by Men in Blue
The Black Caps were 163/6 at the time of Santner’s dismissal, but would go on to post 215/7 at the end of their innings nevertheless, thanks to Mitchell’s unbeaten 39 off 18 deliveries that contained three sixes and two fours.
New Zealand are searching for a consolation win ahead of the T20 World Cup, having already conceded an unassailable 0-3 lead to the Suryakumar Yadav-led hosts.