Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], December 20 (ANI): One of all-rounder Hardik Pandya's sixes hit the cameraman during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa, and the Indian star shared a wholesome moment with him, as he apologised to him, shared a hug with him, and gave him a bit of ice treatment to lessen the pain.

Hardik's bat was breathing fire as he took down bowlers with a flurry of fours and sixes that oozed the trademark 'Kung Fu Pandya' ferocity and swagger. While these hits entertained the crowd immensely, the entertainment dampened a bit for one of the cameramen capturing the live action as the ball went flying to him and hit his arm. The ball hit his arm so ferociously that even assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, sitting in the dugout nearby, stood up and took notice.

In a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the cameraman was heard saying that nothing much had happened, but things could have got worse if he had been hit slightly higher or lower on his body. The cameraman was receiving some ice bag treatement from the medical personnel nearby. Despite being hit, he continued doing his duty to the best of his ability.

Even the all-rounder Hardik expressed relief that the crew member was safe, 'God was with me because it did not hit him above that (above his arm) and hit him where he would just feel a bit of bruising. He was a lucky man that he did not go higher. I would say sorry to him and check on him. I have seen around all these 10 years I have been playing for India. I keep saying 'hi' to him. Thankfully, he is fine.'

In the video, Hardik was seen going to him, asking him how his arm was and hugging him. The all-rounder kept the bag of ice on the cameraman's arm to make sure that the pain would subside.

https://x.com/BCCI/status/2002212460229746978

It was a day filled with records and milestone for India's undisputed MVP in T20Is, as he became the fifth Indian batter to complete 2,000 runs in T20I cricket, joining the elite list of Rohit Sharma (4231 runs), Virat Kohli (4188 runs), Suryakumar Yadav (2788 runs) and KL Rahul (2265 runs). Additionally, Pandya also slammed the second-fastest fifty for India in T20I cricket, reaching the milestone in just 16 balls, four balls more than legendary Yuvraj Singh, who holds the record with a 12-ball fifty against England in the T20 World Cup 2007.

Hardik overtook Yuvraj to have the most doubles of a half-century and at least a wicket during a T20I match in history for his nation. Hardik scored 63 in just 25 balls, with five fours and five sixes each. His runs came at a strike rate of 252.00. While bowling, he did give away 41 runs in three overs, but got the prized wicket of Dewald Brevis, who was just taking off, cutting his knock short at 17-ball 31, with three fours and two sixes.

Now, Hardik has four instances scoring a half-century and taking at least a wicket in a T20I for India in a T20I match, one more than the Indian icon. Virat Kohli also finds a mention in this list, having emulated this feat against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup back in 2012 and against West Indies in the 2016 T20 WC. Next is all-rounder Shivam Dube, who has also achieved this feat twice.

Hardik, who marked his return to international cricket with this series, ended as the third-highest run-getter in the series, with 142 runs in three innings at an average of 71.00 and a strike rate of 186.84. He produced two half-centuries in the series, both coming in a winning effort. Besides this, he also took three wickets at an average of 38.00, with best figures of 1/16. But his economy rate of above 10 was a slight concern.

Coming to the match, Proteas won the toss and put India to field first. Openers Samson (37 in 22 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Abhishek (34 in 21 balls, with six fours and a six) gave India a fiery start with a 63-run stand in just 5.4 overs. After a brief stumble following dismissals of Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (5), Tilak (73 in 42 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and Hardik put on a 105-run stand for the fourth wicket, taking India to 231/5 in 20 overs. Corbin Bosch (2/44) was the pick of the bowlers for SA.

During the run-chase of 232 runs, SA did put up a 69-run opening stand, which was mainly due to the efforts of opener Quinton de Kock (65 in 35 balls, with nine fours and three sixes), who continued his love affair with Indian bowling. Reeza Hendricks (13 in 12 balls, with a four) was the first victim of evening's leading wicket-taker, Varun Chakravarthy (4/53). Brevis did give India a scare with his knock, sticking around for another half-century stand with QDK to take SA to 120 in the 11th over. However, following his dismissal, Proteas lost wickets regularly and never quite managed to make a comeback, falling short by 30 runs and restricted to 201/8 in 20 overs.

Jasprit Bumrah (2/17) was also impressive in his four-over quota, while Arshdeep also took a wicket.

Pandya took home the 'Player of the Match' award as India sealed the series 3-1, while Varun got the 'Player of the Series' award for taking 10 wickets at an average of 11.20 and an economy rate of 7.46. (ANI)