Hardik Pandya revealed why he smiled after getting out during the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final between India and Australia.
India recently defeated Australia by four wickets to reach the final of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Virat Kohli (84) and Shreyas Iyer (45) set the platform early on as they chased down 265, but it was KL Rahul (42*) and Hardik Pandya (28) who provided the finishing touches to the game.
Hardik was involved in a 34-run stand with Rahul for the sixth wicket before being dismissed in the 48th over. India were 259/6 when Pandya was dismissed and the Men in Blue needed just six runs to win the game. Despite getting dismissed, Pandya was seen smiling as he made his way back to the Indian dressing room.
“Usually when people get out, they react in a way that reflects their sadness. But, you though, you came in beaming with a smile,” Axar Patel told Hardik Pandya during a conversation after the match. A video of the conversation was uploaded by the BCCI on the Indian cricket team’s official Instagram handle.
“I was smiling. I mean, I didn’t think of hitting two sixes. I knew it would happen at any time. But I knew that people must have gotten a little tense in the dressing room. I was laughing a little inside,” replied the Baroda all-rounder.
“You have any idea how all of us inside felt? We were all on edge, seeing you smash it all over the park, taking those quick runs,” Axar said, laughing.
“But I knew that you would take care of everything. I couldn’t show it to the dressing room in the moment, but when you smacked those two sixes with such swagger and walked back in, we all knew we were good,” he added.
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India will take on New Zealand in the final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday. The Men in Blue had beaten the Black Caps by 44 runs in the group stage of the tournament last Sunday (March 2).
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