Hardik Pandya performs stand-out performance in 1st T20I as India beats England

On Thursday, India beat England in Southampton by 50 runs. Hardik Pandya hit his first T20I half-century and took four wickets. In the first game of the three-game series, India scored 198-8, with Pandya's 50 coming off 30 balls.

Pandya's highlights of the match

Before he was out for 51, the 28-year-old hit Matt Parkinson for six fours and one huge six. Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Hooda had already set the tone with flashy shots before Pandya did his thing.

Pandya also made things hard for England with the ball. He got four wickets and 33 runs in his four overs, but the English team could only score 148 runs.

Earlier, India gave England a goal of 199 runs to win. Pandya, who can do everything, made the most runs with 51. He also made the first 50 of his career in T20I.

Pandya’s comments about his performance

According to NDTV sports, Pandya talked to reporters about how he did and thought in general during a press conference after the game.

"Obviously, right now I am not thinking much about what I'll be playing in the future and all that. Right now, I am focusing on as many games, I am available for India, that will be my intention. And talking about today's performance, obviously, it is always good to perform when your team requires and when your team wins. For me, it was simple, what my team required and doing what I know," said Hardik to reporters.

"I believe the hard work pays off, my point is to prepare well, the result is not in my control. Right now, all is coming off, today is a good day, tomorrow might be bad. So, you don't know, it is all about working hard, life goes on," he added.

Pandya said he would give his batting and bowling the same amount of attention today. Even though the team had already lost wickets, they kept going and scored well thanks to that 50. But the bowling will get more credit because that got them back into the game and made it hard for England to stay in it.

When asked if he wants to play the red-ball format, Hardik said it depends on what the team is playing and how they are playing it. "This is a white-ball season as World Cups are around the corner. I have always seen that right now the maximum white-ball matches I can play that is important, when Tests will come, definitely. What to play, only time will tell, but right now it is about giving my 100 per cent and if I don't, then I'll go out. I won't take someone's place," he said.

Highlights of England vs India in the 5th Test

In the fifth Test, England beat India by seven wickets, and Ben Stokes' team had the highest run chase in Test history. That was England's fourth straight win under Stokes and their new red-ball coach, Brendon McCullum.

Four boundaries were part of Dawid Malan's 21 runs from 144 balls, but Pandya bowled hum and then got rid of Liam Livingstone, leaving England in trouble at 29-3. The swing bowling from India was too much for England. Jason Roy had only scored four runs after 16 balls when Pandya got rid of him.

Hooda was about to put India in complete control with 33 runs in 17 balls, but Chris Jordan's slower ball got rid of him before he could do any more damage. Yadav hit four fours, and two sixes in 19 balls, which pushed India's run rate past 10 per over before Jordan caught behind him after a review. In his 62nd and 43rd innings, when Pandya finally got to 50, Topley hit him out on the boundary.