Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan’s cryptic tweet went viral on social media which came after India won the third T20I against West Indies in a series decider game. The cryptic post seemed like it was tweeted to take a dig at captain Hardik Pandya.
Earlier in the match, the West Indies amassed a total of 159 runs while losing five wickets. The team received a strong finish from their captain Rovman Powell, who contributed an unbeaten 40 runs from just 19 balls.
Brandon King also made a notable score of 42 runs from 42 balls at the top of the order. However, in-form batsman Nicholas Pooran was stumped by Sanju Samson off a delivery from Kuldeep Yadav after scoring 20 runs from 12 balls.
The Indian team faced a setback with both their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal (1) and Shubman Gill (6), falling early while chasing a target of 160 runs for victory. However, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma staged a strong partnership, adding 87 runs together for the third wicket, placing the team in a promising position.
After Suryakumar’s departure at 83 off 44 balls, skipper Hardik Pandya joined forces with Tilak Varma. Their unbeaten partnership of 43 runs ensured the successful pursuit of the target with 13 deliveries to spare.
Before sealing the victory, India required a mere 2 runs off 14 balls, and Tilak Varma was just one run away from achieving his second consecutive T20I fifty. Regrettably, in the closing moments, Hardik Pandya struck a slow delivery from Rovman Powell for a six, crossing the finish line and denying Tilak the milestone.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten with 49 runs from 37 balls, triggering discussions on social media. Fans and experts alike debated whether Hardik Pandya should have given the young batsman the opportunity to reach his half-century, considering that there were more than two overs left in the game.
Though the ex-India fast bowler, Irfan Pathan refrained from explicitly mentioning the specific player or captain he was referencing, enthusiasts delved deep into his message, generating substantial speculation. Some conjectured that the veiled remark could be aimed at Hardik Pandya for opting to hit a six when Tilak Varma was just one run away from his half-century.
Conversely, others directed their suspicions towards MS Dhoni and the 2011 World Cup final. In that pivotal match against Sri Lanka, Dhoni walked in ahead of Yuvraj Singh, ultimately reaping credit for the victory despite Gautam Gambhir’s stellar 97-run contribution after India’s early wickets were lost.
