WATCH: Hardik Pandya's Nip backer cleans up Babar Azam in Asia Cup 2023 clash

Hardik Pandya (Source: Twitter)

India is having almost a perfect match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023. Batting first, India scored a mammoth total of 356 runs on the board, thanks to fifty from the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. The likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul scored hundreds and demoralized the fielding team in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup 2023 match against Pakistan. 

While the batting was entertaining to watch, the Indian bowlers were quick to impress the fans with their seam and swing bowling. At the start, the new ball duo of Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah got the ball to swing. As a result, Bumrah claimed the wicket of Imam-Ul-Haq on his comeback. The star bowler returned well to the team and led the charge defending the total. 

Dream delivery from Hardik Pandya to dismiss Babar Azam

Hardik Pandya started his spell on a very good note. The all-rounder claimed the big wicket of Babar Azam with a beautiful nip backer. Everything was perfect about the delivery. Hardik got the ball to land in the perfect position. From a good length, the ball nipped back enough and hit the top of the off stump. Babar had no clue about the delivery and was undone by an absolute peach. 

The seam was perfect and presented very well by the Indian bowler. Azam did not expect the ball to come back towards him. The wicket was just what needed to the Indian bowlers. Hardik bowled a dream of a delivery and helped India get rid of Azam. It is one of the best balls bowled by a bowler in recent times. The Indian players were so happy and impresssed with the dismissal of Babar. 

Hardik set Babar well. The first two balls of the over were straighter ones. It was to deceive the batter that there would be no movement off the surface. But the third ball came right into the batter to claim the top of off stump. A brilliant planning indeed to get rid of a very good batter.  

Watch the video of the dismissal here -

WHAT A BALL FROM HARDIK...!!!



He cleans up world number 1 ODI batter. pic.twitter.com/cLNfRlv3Sr

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 11, 2023