Hardik Pandya wont be playing against New Zealand after suffering a ankle injury against Bangladesh in World Cup 2023.
India secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Bangladesh in their third match of the ongoing World Cup. This win was largely attributed to Virat Kohli’s remarkable 48th century in One Day Internationals (ODIs). However, India faced a setback during the match when their star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, sustained an injury while fielding, which forced him to leave the field.
Pandya appeared to twist his left ankle and received immediate attention from the team’s physio on the field. He attempted to continue bowling but was in significant pain, ultimately deciding to walk off and play no further part in the match. Subsequently, he underwent scans to assess the extent of his injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now officially confirmed that Pandya will be unable to participate in the critical match against New Zealand scheduled for Sunday, October 22, in Dharamsala.
As a result of his injury, Hardik Pandya has been advised to rest and will not accompany the team to Dharamsala. Instead, he is expected to rejoin the Indian squad directly in England. The BCCI issued a statement regarding the situation, stating, “Team India vice-captain Hardik Pandya sustained an injury to his left ankle while fielding on his own bowling during Indiaโs match against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune. The all-rounder was taken for scans and is advised rest. He will be under the constant supervision of the BCCI Medical Team. He will not be taking the flight to Dharamsala with the team on 20th October and will now join the team directly in Lucknow where India play England.”
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma also provided reassurance about Pandya’s injury, mentioning that it did not appear to be a major concern. The management and medical team would assess his condition on a daily basis, and a plan for his recovery would be formulated accordingly. “He (Hardik) pulled up a bit sore, nothing really major to worry. We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow morning and then plan on how to go forward.”