In a nail-biting encounter in Guwahati, the third T20 match saw a moment of pure athletic brilliance that shifted the momentum strongly in India’s favour. As the crowd went wild, the duel between New Zealand’s opening batsman and India’s emerging fast bowler reached its predictable but spectacular conclusion. Hardik Pandya, known for his clutch genes, defied gravity by taking a leap and turning a good shot into a certain out.
Hardik Pandya produced a brilliant performance to dismiss Devon Conway in the third T20I in Guwahati
Devon Conway’s dismissal was not just a wicket; It was a continuation of a psychological nightmare for the Kiwi southpaw. Facing Harshit Rana, a bowler who has unlocked the ‘cheat code’ to his batting, Conway attempted to break the shackles by charging down the track at a speed of 136.7 kmph. Moving towards the leg-side, he looked to loft the ball over the mid-off fielder to signal his intention. However, the bat twisted slightly in his hand, causing the timing to falter and the ball to hang in the humid air of Guwahati. While the contact initially seemed enough to clear a standard fielder, Hardik Pandya was positioned inside the circle, patrolling the area like a hawk.
In a second, Pandya tracked the ball’s trajectory, anticipated the fall, and launched himself horizontally to his left. Keeping both feet off the ground, he caught the ball in mid-flight and caught a “screamer”, leaving Conway staring in disbelief before returning to the pavilion. The catch cemented Harshit Rana’s complete dominance over Conway on this tour, marking the fifth time the bowler has claimed his wicket. The figures tell a story of total dedication: Conway has scored only 19 runs off 27 balls in five innings against Rana, resulting in a disappointing average of 3.80.
Here is the video:
Very good!
How will Hardik Pandya’s catch be?
Wicket for Harshit Rana in the opening over.
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New Zealand’s powerplay fails against India in Guwahati T20I
The first six overs at the Barsapara Stadium were a tough test for the Black Caps as India’s relentless bowling attack dismantled their top order with surgical precision. After being sent in to bat, the visitors found no rhythm against a surface that offered significant zip and a bowling unit that saw every batsman score numbers. The collapse began almost immediately when Harshit Rana continued his psychological dominance over Devon Conway, inspiring an ill-timed lofted drive which was brilliantly stopped by a diving Hardik Pandya. This screamer at mid-off set a frantic tone for the innings, which saw the Kiwis slump to 2/1 within three balls.
Rachin Ravindra’s brief attempt at counter-attacking was swiftly thwarted by Pandya, who transformed from elite fielder to lethal bowler to dismiss the young left-hander for just 4 runs. Jasprit Bumrah’s introduction in the final over of the ban was certainly a knockout blow, as he uprooted Tim Seifert’s off-stump on the first ball, leaving the scoreboard at a disappointing 34/3.
New Zealand faltered at 36/3 at the end of the powerplay. The Indian trio of Rana, Pandya and Bumrah took every advantage of the humid conditions in Guwahati, turning what should have been scoring chances into a defensive scrap for survival. By the time the field spread out, New Zealand’s middle order had the difficult task of rebuilding against the spinning duo of Kuldeep and Bishnoi on a track where the ball was beginning to hold.
