In a high-octane clash at Guwahati, the 3rd T20I witnessed a moment of pure athletic genius that shifted the momentum firmly in India’s favour. As the crowd roared, the duel between the New Zealand opener and India’s rising pace star reached its predictable yet spectacular conclusion. Hardik Pandya, known for his clutch gene, turned a decent shot into a definitive dismissal with a leap that defied gravity.
Hardik Pandya pulls off a stunner to dismiss Devon Conway in the 3rd T20I at Guwahati
The dismissal of Devon Conway was not just a wicket; it was the continuation of a psychological nightmare for the Kiwi southpaw. Facing Harshit Rana, a bowler who has seemingly unlocked the ‘cheat code’ to his batting, Conway attempted to break the shackles by charging down the track to a 136.7kph delivery. Shifting toward the leg-side, he looked to loft the ball over the mid-off fielder to signal his intent. However, the bat twisted slightly in his hands, causing the timing to falter and the ball to hang in the humid Guwahati air. While the contact initially looked enough to clear a standard fielder, Hardik was stationed inside the circle, patrolling the area like a hawk.
In a split second, Pandya tracked the ball’s trajectory, anticipated the dip, and launched himself horizontally to his left. With both feet off the ground, he snared the ball mid-flight, clutching a screamer that left Conway staring in disbelief before trudging back to the pavilion. This catch solidified Rana’s absolute dominance over Conway on this tour, marking the fifth time the bowler has claimed his wicket. The statistics tell a story of total submission: Conway has managed a meager 19 runs off 27 balls against Rana across five innings, resulting in a dismal average of 3.80.
Here’s the video:
WOW!
How about that for a catch from Hardik Pandya 😎
Wicket in the opening over for Harshit Rana 👏👏
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New Zealand’s powerplay collapse against India in Guwahati T20I
The first six overs at the Barsapara Stadium were a harrowing ordeal for the Black Caps as India’s relentless bowling attack dismantled their top order with surgical precision. After being put in to bat, the visitors found no rhythm against a surface that offered significant zip and a bowling unit that seemed to have every batter’s number. The collapse began almost instantly when Rana continued his psychological dominance over Conway, inducing a mistimed lofted drive that was brilliantly intercepted by a diving Hardik. This screamer at mid-off set a frantic tone for the innings, leaving the Kiwis shell-shocked at 2/1 within three deliveries.
Rachin Ravindra’s brief attempt at a counter-attack was swiftly snuffed out by Pandya, who transitioned from elite fielder to lethal bowler to remove the young left-hander for just 4 runs. The introduction of Jasprit Bumrah in the final over of the restriction was the definitive knockout blow, as he uprooted Tim Seifert’s off-stump with a first-ball seed that left the scoreboard reading a dismal 34/3.
New Zealand limped to the end of the Powerplay at 36/3. The Indian trio of Rana, Hardik and Bumrah exploited every bit of the humid Guwahati conditions, turning what should have been a scoring opportunity into a defensive scrap for survival. By the time the field spread, the New Zealand middle order was left with the Herculean task of rebuilding against a spinning duo of Kuldeep and Bishnoi on a track where the ball was starting to hold.
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