Viral Video Shows Hardik Pandya Nearly KNOCKS OUT Umpire With Powerful Shot In IND vs NZ 1st T20I

Hardik Pandya nearly knocked over umpire Rohan Pandit with his very first ball in the IND vs NZ 1st T20I on Wednesday. Pandya hit a ball straight down the ground with power, passing very close to the umpire.

The incidet occurred in the 11th over of the Indian innings. Coming into bat at the fall of Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik was received with huge cheers by the Nagpur crowd. He made no time making his intentions clear, jumping down the track to hit Mitchell Santner down the ground.

Santner managed to get out of the way but attempted to put a finger on it trying to complete a catch. Umpire Rohan Pandit also moved away, with the ball passing inches close to each of them. The video of that shot and the reactions from Santner and the umpire have since gone viral.

It is not Rohan Pandit's first brush with the cricket ball on the field. During the IND vs SA series, Pandit was hit on his knee and had to receive treatment. Pandit was standing behind the stumps when Sanju Samson slammed a ball straight down the ground.

Donovan Ferreira attempted a catch, only to deflect it towards the umpire, who was a little late in moving out of the way. The umpire was in severe pain withe the physio tending to him during a brief halt in play.

Pandit seems to have worked on his reflexes and managed to wade his way out off Hardik's shot.