Watch: Akram, Irfan’s amazing stunt on live TV as Pandya arrives, Mayanti then…
When the segment was about to end, something unexpected happened. As Mayanti Langer was thanking Irfan Pathan and Wasim Akram for their time, the two former cricketers suddenly looked to the left of the camera and began clapping.
Not just Virat Kohli, but the Asia Cup has marked the return of some of the legendary former cricketers. In the build-up to the tournament, Star Sports organised a press conference reuniting the fabled duo of ‘Shaz and Waz’, Ravi Shastri and Wasim Akram. And continuing it in the matches as part of the broadcast panel were ex-players such as Irfan Pathan, Gautam Gambhir and presenter Mayanti Langer. The three, along with Akram, were discussing the biggest takeaways surrounding the India vs Pakistan contest before, during the innings break and after the match.
After India beat Pakistan by five wickets, Akram, Pathan and Langer were in conversation about what transpired in the game. From Hardik Pandya’s brilliance to Virat Kohli’s return to Pakistan’s fight and Naseem Shah’s courageous effort, all topics were touched upon. But just when the segment was about to end, something unexpected happened. As Langer was thanking Irfan and Akram for their time, the two former cricketers suddenly looked to the left of the camera and began clapping.
As viewers began to wonder what was happening, Langer ended the suspense when she said, “The man of the hour Hardik Pandya passes us by. Congratulations to you, Hardik”, indicating that it was the India all-rounder who evoked such a reaction out of the three.
Watch Video: Wasim Akram, Irfan Pathan’s remarkable gesture on seeing Hardik Pandya, Mayanti Langer does this
Hardik has been a different beast since making his comeback in the IPL. After leading debutants Gujarat Titans to their maiden trophy, Hardik has gotten better with each game he has played for India. With the ball, he can clock 140-plus and when he has the bat in hand, Pandya can really swing it to great effect. Pathan lauded Pandya’s astonishing comeback, calling him an asset for the Indian team.
“What kind of form this guy is in… Hardik Pandya. We have seen that since the IPL, since he came back from injury. He is an asset to Indian cricket. In the start he took his time, they were bowling really well and Pakistan for the most part bowled back of a length to him. The first couple of balls he played on the leg side which could have been very close had he missed them,” Pathan said on Star Sports.
“But he is in such good form that he can hit any bowler. That’s the kind of hitting-power he has, and at the same time, the confidence he has got after coming back from an injury. His bowling has gone up – he has re-modelled his action – and his fitness has really worked for him. That’s what you want to see from an all-rounder.”
