“Close The Match First”: Hardik Pandya Reveals Advice To Rishabh Pant During Partnership In 3rd ODI vs England | Cricket News

Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya were the standout performers as India defeated England by five wickets in the third and final ODI to win the three-match series 2-1. India were reeling at 72/4 at one stage but then Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant got together at the crease to put on 133 runs for the fifth wicket. Hardik was dismissed after scoring 71, but Pant carried on till the end, scoring 125 not out, taking the visitors over the line with 47 balls to spare.

Hardik spoke at length during a post-match press conference about his partnership with Pant and what he told the left-handed batter during the course of their 133-run stand.

“I was just repeating the same thing over and over again, it was important that we do not take any risks. The kind of talent Rishabh has and the kind of talent I have, without risks we can score runs. It was about not losing any wicket, there was just one way through which England could have come back that was if we lost wickets in a cluster. I was repeating the same thing, to build a partnership and bring the match close,” said Hardik.

“I told Rishabh that close the match first and then you can enjoy. He got a bit stuck when he came in and, in the end, he started playing his shots. And everyone knows when Rishabh starts playing his shots, you just sit back and let him do his own thing,” he added.

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Earlier, Pandya had taken four wickets as England were bundled out for 259 inside 50 overs.

Pant and Pandya will next be seen in action in the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies, beginning July 29.