'Hardik Pandya finishes it off in style, revenge taken': IND fans celebrate thrilling win over PAK

India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets in their opening contest of Asia Cup 2022 at Dubai International Stadium to kick off the campaign on a good note on Sunday (August 28). Hardik Pandya displayed an all-round show as he picked 3 wickets and then slammed 33 off 17 balls to take the side home. He finished off the match with a six in what was a thrilling last-over finish. 

After the match, Indian fans celebrated the win.

Hardik is in such a great mental space right now. Calm and delivering through top notch performances. Huge for India. — Gaurav Sundararaman (@gaurav_sundar) August 28, 2022

ALLOW HARDIK TO BRING ONE DOZEN ROLEX EXCISE FREE @narendramodi _____ — Rofl Gandhi 2.0 _ (@RoflGandhi_) August 28, 2022

HARDIK PANDYA _! What a player! What a comeback!#INDvPAK

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) August 28, 2022

Stupendous victory __

What a brilliant teamwork to clinch the game against Pakistan! Well played our bright Men in Blue.

Congratulations on your well-deserved win. Hardik ~ an amazing game.__#AsiaCup2022 #Cricket @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/KrndulC5Cx — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 28, 2022

HARDIK FINISHES IT OFF IN STYLE — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) August 28, 2022

Revenge taken chad_
2017 2022 pic.twitter.com/xCpSXqct3v — Arman (@_m_c_q) August 28, 2022

India started off the game on a brilliant note with Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissing Babar Azam for just 10. He came back to pick 3 more wickets to finish as the best bowler for India on the night. Hardik Pandya was the second with 3 wickets. He was the one who broke the back of the Pakistan middle order batter. Two young Indian pacers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan were superb as well. While Avesh picked one wicket, Arshdeep finished with 2 wickets and bowled superbly at the death. Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja however could not open their account.   

In the end, Pakistan were bowled out for just 147.

Needing 148 to win the contest, India started off the chase on a bad note losing KL Rahul for a score of 0, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma steadied the ship for a while but soon both fell in successive overs. At one stage, it looked wickets will tumble again but Hardik and Ravindra Jadeja kept their cool to guide the team home. Jadeja played well for his 35 off 29 balls. Jadeja however got out in the last over. There were tensed moments in the last over with 6 needed off 3 in the Nawaz over but Hardik smashed him for six to finish the game in style.