'Dinesh Karthik was at the other end, not me' - Ashish Nehra gets sarcastic on Hardik Pandya denying single in last over

Former Indian bowler Ashish Nehra has stated that Hardik Pandya should have taken a single in the last over and given the strike to Dinesh Karthik. Gujarat Titans skipper returned to international scenes with 31 runs off just 12 balls but denied a single to another returnee Dinesh Karthik. Pandya also bowled the fifth over for team India but got smashed for three sixes from South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorious.

Anrich Nortje picked Rishabh Pant on the first ball in the inning’s last over and then entered Dinesh Karthik. He missed the first ball and scored a single on the next to give strike to Pandya. The former Mumbai Indians stalwart hit the six over the long-off of the fourth ball but he refused to run for a single on the next ball to keep the strike for the last one. And then he missed to hit the last ball over the boundary and scored just two runs.

It was Karthik on the other end, the finisher with the best strike rate in the Indian Premier League 2022. Indians fans took no time to slam Pandya on social media for his attitude in the last over. Many wanted to see the wicketkeeper finishing the game yesterday as he was playing for India almost three years later. Pandya’s franchise coach Ashish Nehra also stated his opinion on the player denying a single in the last over, but jokingly.

Hardik Pandya should have taken a single in that final over: Ashish Nehra

“He should have taken a single in that final over. Dinesh Karthik was at the other end, it wasn’t me.” Ashish Nehra on Cricbuzz.

India lost the first match despite scoring 211 runs while batting first at Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi on Thursday. Ishan Kishan scored a brilliant fifty while opening. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer also played small but helpful knocks but it was stand-in skipper Pant and his deputy Pandya who led India to a big total. South Africa lost just three wickets while climbing the mountain with David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen scoring unbeaten fifties. India will be looking for a quick winning return in the second T20I at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.