Hardik Pandya has become India’s second-most capped T20I player, surpassing Virat Kohli with his 126th appearance during the T20I series against New Zealand. The all-rounder is now second only to former captain Rohit Sharma (159 matches).
Pandya Becomes India’s Second-Most Capped T20I Player
Team India star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has surpassed Virat Kohli to become India’s second-most capped player in T20 internationals, achieving the milestone during the second T20I against New Zealand in the ongoing five-match series. Pandya has now featured in 126 T20Is for the Men in Blue, while Kohli played 125 matches. Pandya is second on the list of most T20I appearances for India, only behind the former India captain Rohit Sharma, who featured in 159 T20I matches before hanging up his boots in 2024.
Pandya’s All-Round T20I Record
Pandya has scored 2,027 runs in T20Is at an average of 28.54 and with the best score of an unbeaten 71. Pandya has also claimed 102 wickets at an average of 26.85, with the best bowling figures in a match of 4/16.
Hardik Pandya is amongst the only four players who have played over 100 T20I matches for India, with the other three being Rohit, Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.
In his most recent outing, Pandya scored a 16-ball 25 against New Zealand in the T20I series opener and claimed bowling figures of 2-20 in 2 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav Joins Elite 100-T20I Club
In the first India vs New Zealand, captain Suryakumar Yadav became the fourth Indian player to feature in 100 T20Is. The right-handed batter has amassed 2788 runs in 93 innings at an average of 35.29, including four centuries and 21 half-centuries. Suryakumar is also the third-highest run-getter for India in the shortest format.
India vs New Zealand 2nd T20I Playing 11s
India Playing 11: Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
New Zealand Playing 11: Devon Conway, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy. (ANI)
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