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[Saba Sports News] India suffered a major setback in their ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match on October 19 as star all-rounder Hardik Pandya sustained an injury in the first innings.
In the game at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pandya tried to prevent a boundary off Litton Das’s bat in the ninth over, but he twisted his ankle and fell awkwardly. He was visibly in pain, and the physio attended to him, taping his ankle. The 30-year-old had to leave the field, and Virat Kohli took over bowling duties in his place.
According to Cricbuzz, Pandya underwent scans and will not participate in bowling or fielding further in the match. Pandya has primarily been a bowler in this tournament, taking five wickets in four innings with an average of 22.60 and an economy of 6.84. He batted only once, scoring an unbeaten 11* against Australia in the first game.
After Pandya’s departure, Virat Kohli took the last three balls to complete the over, thrilling the crowd as he bowled in an ODI for the first time in six years.
In the match itself, Bangladesh made a strong start after choosing to bat, with openers Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das putting on 93 runs for the first wicket in 88 balls. Hasan scored his first ODI fifty, with 51 off 43 balls, including five fours and five sixes.
Kuldeep Yadav dismissed him in the 15th over, but Bangladesh continued to build their innings, reaching 138/4 after 28 overs.