Hardik Pandya Gets A Hero's Welcome In Vadodara, India Vice-Captain's T20 WC After-Party Continues

Rohit Sharma-led Team India scripted history on June 29, 2024 by defeating South Africa in the finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. India outsmarted Aiden Markram's high-spirited South Africa to win their second World T20 title. This was Team India's second T20 World Cup across nine editions and it marked an end to the 11-years-long ICC Trophy drought. A lot of credit goes to India captain Hardik Pandya who bowled the last over where the Proteas needed 16 runs to win.

Vadodara Welcomes Hardik Pandya With Open Arms.

The Hardik Pandya redemption story is something that will stay with generations to come. Earlier this year Hardik Pandya had to face a lot of criticism as he replaced Rohit Sharma as the captain of Mumbai Indians. In the all-important and thrilling IND vs SA Finals, Pandya was bestowed with the task of bowling the final over. South Africa needed only 16 runs off the final six deliveries with the dangerous David Miller on strike.

Hardik tried to bowl a fuller delivery outside the off stump. Miller hit it with all his might, but it was a miraculous catch from Hardik Pandya's compatriot and his Mumbai Indians (MI) teammate Suryakumar Yadav that sealed India's fate and almost guaranteed the trophy for them. The Indian team returned to their motherland on July 4, 2024 and were given a warm reception both in Mumbai and Delhi. Hardik Pandya has now returned to Vadodara and received a similar kind of reception. 'All my heart', Hardik captioned his social media post.

ALSO READ | What a turnaround for Hardik Pandya

Watch The Video Here:

ALSO READ| Hardik Pandya fails to hold back tears after HEROICS in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph

The Hardik Pandya Redemption Story

The Indian vice-captain in his own words had a very tough time before the start of the T20 World Cup and rightly so. Mumbai Indians fans and Indian cricket fans were annoyed with Hardik because he had replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper of Mumbai Indians. The kind of hate that Pandya was shown rubbed off the team and they finished last in the IPL 2024 leaderboard. MI could win only 2 out of their 12 matches. But come the T20 World Cup, everything has changed for Hardik Pandya and he has been getting all the love and adulation that a Team India player deserves.