Dubai, Feb 23: India all-rounder Hardik Pandya feels he has “won back” his fans following his match-winning contributions during the ICC T20 World Cup title victory in the Caribbean last year.
Pandya was also repeatedly booed by the Mumbai Indian fans in the IPL last year after he replaced Rohit Sharma as the side’s captain wherever he went after he decided to move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 edition of the lucrative league.
But Pandya put all the negativity behind him when the Indian team flew to the Americas for the T20 World Cup and dished out match-winning performances.
He ended up scoring 144 runs and taking 11 wickets in the global tournament as India reclaimed the Cup after 2007.
“They (fans) said, life for me, had come a full circle. They said, from here on, there was no looking back. I had won them (fans) back,” said Pandya in a video posted by the BCCI on social media.
With the Champions Trophy in full swing and India set to take on Pakistan later on Sunday, Pandya said the quest to emerge champions once again was very much there in the players.
“A new year, a new tournament and a new challenge awaits us. Our quest to become champions once again has begun.
“Today, we step out yet again to start fresh, to conquer another day, to conquer another opponent. Chapter 2 in the Champions Trophy awaits. Get ready and fasten your seat-belts for a contest that needs no introduction,” he said.
Pandya bowled a miserly four overs in the opening Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh, giving away just 20 runs without taking a wicket as India won by six wickets. (PTI)
