Hardik Pandya played a explosive innings (Photo: PTI)
Hardik Pandya vs Anrich Nortje: IPL 2026 auction is about to come. 15 South African players will be bid in this auction. And, among those 15, he is also one player whose work has been spoiled by Hardik Pandya. Hardik Pandya has done this to him with the power of his bat. That player is a South African fast bowler, who has been beaten not only badly by the Indian all-rounder but also the most in comparison to other South African bowlers. Now, if the bowler who is going to enter with a base price of Rs 2 crore gets hit so much, that too just before the auction, then things will definitely get spoiled.
The comeback did not happen as it should have.
The South African fast bowler we are talking about is Enrique Norkhia, who played his comeback match after injury in Cuttack. This was the first time since June 2024 that Norkhia was playing an international match. But, the comeback that should have happened did not happen. Not only did Hardik Pandya, who stood as a wall in the first T20I between India and South Africa, hit him the most but he also proved to be the most expensive bowler of his team after bowling full 4 overs.
Pandya rained on 10 balls of Norkhia with a strike rate of 220.
Enrique Norkhia gave 41 runs in 4 overs with an economy of 10.25. During this period he did not get a single wicket. He was beaten the most by Hardik Pandya, who scored 22 runs in 10 balls at a strike rate of 220 against Norkhia. Meaning, Norkhia scored more than half of his quota of 4 overs against Pandya.
Base price of Rs 2 crore and such beating, who will buy it?
After being shortlisted for the IPL 2026 auction, Enrique Norkhia had come to Cuttack to play a T20 match. He has kept his base price for the auction at Rs 2 crore. But, after the way he was beaten, it does not seem that the franchises will be interested in him. However, looking at the other side of the coin, it may be too early to say this because the next 2 matches of the 5 T20 series are still to be played before the auction, in which Enrique Norkhia will get a chance to regain his form and prove that his base price amount is not wrong.