"People booed him so much, and how life changes" - Aakash Chopra on Hardik Pandya's performance in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win vs Pakistan

Aakash Chopra has lauded Hardik Pandya for turning hostile fans in his favor with his performance in India's 2024 T20 World Cup win against Pakistan in New York. The ace all-rounder was booed during IPL 2024 after he took over the Mumbai Indians' captaincy from Rohit Sharma.

Hardik managed only seven runs off 12 deliveries as India set Pakistan a 120-run target after being asked to bat first on Sunday, June 9. However, he bowled an impressive spell of 2/24 in four overs to help the Men in Blue register a narrow six-run win.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on some of the star performers in India's win. As for Hardik, he said (2:50):

"Hardik Pandya - people booed him so much, and how life changes. I saw the entire ground shouting 'Hardik, Hardik' and a lot of love for him. Cricket is a great leveler. If you perform well, people who were abusing you will also praise you. They will pray for your success."

"I learned one thing that we Indians are extremely lucky. We have 140 crore people and whoever follows cricket, prays for you, even though they don't know you. This is the biggest blessing. So Hardik Pandya has also turned that around. He has been outstanding," the former India opener added.

Hardik first had the aggressive Fakhar Zaman brilliantly caught by Rishabh Pant off a bouncer. He then accounted for Shadab Khan in an almost identical fashion.

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"He was an unsung hero" - Aakash Chopra on Axar Patel

Axar Patel was India's second-highest run-scorer against Pakistan.

Aakash Chopra termed Axar Patel an unsung hero for his all-round performance.

"I will once again want to talk about Axar Patel's performance because he was an unsung hero. He came to bat at No. 4 and scored 20 runs. If you add Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja's runs, and add (Virat) Kohli's also to that, the five together scored 21, and Axar Patel made 20 at a number which is not his number," he reasoned (1:30).

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the spin-bowling all-rounder made a telling impact with the ball after playing a crucial knock.

"After that, picked up Usman Khan's wicket. A wicket was not falling. You had tried all bowlers and he was the last bowler to be tried. Everyone remembers (Jasprit) Bumrah's dismissal of (Mohammad) Rizwan and then Hardik Pandya, but the 16th over, it was a negative match-up, Imad Wasim was standing, and he bowled a two-run over. I think he was absolutely sensational," Chopra explained.

Axar scored 20 runs off 18 deliveries and added 39 runs for the third wicket with Rishabh Pant (42 off 31) after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had been dismissed cheaply.

He returned figures of 1/11 in two overs, breaking Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan's 31-run second-wicket partnership and bowling three consecutive dot balls to Imad Wasim in the 16th over.