Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya registered his name in the record books during Baroda's opening match against Gujarat in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. The all-rounder became the first Indian cricketer to achieve the exceptional double of 5,000 runs and 100-plus wickets in T20 cricket, reaching a major milestone in his career.
The 31-year-old displayed his explosive batting abilities at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, scoring an unbeaten 74 off just 35 deliveries. His match-winning innings included six boundaries and five sixes at a strike rate of 211.43, helping his home state, Baroda to a five-wicket victory over Gujarat in a high-scoring clash.
Pandya needed just seven runs to reach the 5,000-run milestone in T20 cricket ahead of this game, which he achieved comfortably during this innings. With this performance, he has now scored 5,067 runs and scalped 180 wickets in the format, creating a unique record among Indian cricketers.
The nearest contender is Ravindra Jadeja with 3,684 runs and 225 wickets, followed by Axar Patel (2,960 runs, 227 wickets), Krunal Pandya (2,712 runs, 138 wickets), and Irfan Pathan (2,020 runs, 173 wickets).
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Hardik Pandya recently topped ICC's T20I all-rounder rankings
Chasing a target of 185, Baroda was in a tricky situation before Pandya arrived at the crease. His partnership with Shivalik Sharma, who contributed a valuable 64 runs, proved crucial in the run chase. The right-hander's innings was impressive in the death overs, where he dominated the Gujarat bowlers to guide his team home with three balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, Pandya had also made his contribution with the ball, claiming the important wicket of Gujarat's top-scorer Aarya Desai, who had scored 78 runs, helping the side to restrict Gujarat to 184/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
Interestingly, Pandya recently claimed the top spot in ICC's T20I all-rounder rankings, becoming the first Indian to reach this position. With a rating of 244, he crossed England's Liam Livingstone.
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