IND vs SA | Twitter reacts as cameraman becomes collateral damage in Pandya's barbaric rampage

Today at 9:06 PM

In a world of South Africas and West Indies, India has barely made a mark in the power hitting world barring a few phenoms along the way. That is changing rapidly in the modern era, and Hardik Pandya reminded why he is considered one of the pioneers on Friday albeit not without some civilian harm.

Hardik Pandya was in a ruthless mood in the fifth T20I against South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday

India posted a mammoth 231/5 in the fifth T20I against South Africa after being asked to bat first on a flat deck with little to offer for the bowlers. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson set the platform with a rapid 67-run stand while Tilak Varma glued the innings together with his 43-ball 73, but it was Hardik Pandya who stole the limelight in his home state of Gujarat by wreaking absolute pandemonium at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The all-rounder struck the second fastest fifty for India in T20Is, off just 16 deliveries, and ended with 63 off 25 on the back of five boundaries and as many maximums. Pandya declared his intent as soon as he walked into the middle, and a tragic symbol immediately emerged of the sheer destruction the veteran was going to cause on the night.

Pandya came in to bat in the 13th over after Suryakumar Yadav chipped a simple catch off Corbin Bosch to mid-off, setting up an all Mumbai Indians faceoff. On this occassion though, there was always going to be one winner. Bosch delivered a length ball outside off, and Pandya needed no second invitation to charge down the pitch before driving the ball into the sky with utmost venom to send it sailing over long-off. A cameraman operator named Rajesh could only watch shellshocked as the Kookaburra came flying towards him and with no time to react, the white rock hit him square on the right arm to have him mincing in pain. Tilak immediately had his mouth agape and watched with concern as help rushed over to place some ice on the injury, with the cameraman flexing and moving his arm around to check the impact of the blow. Pandya, meanwhile, peered for a couple of seconds when Tilak informed him of the happening with passion, before focusing back at the task on hand.

Twitterati was never one to hold back on commenting on the same.

Then umpire now camera man!

HARDIK PANDYA SMASHES A SIX… AND IT HITS THE CAMERAMAN 😭
— Adarsh (@Adarshkumar_05)

Action!

Sanju Samson 🤝 Hardik Pandya

Sanju hit the umpire, Hardik hit the cameraman... are we playing cricket or an action movie in Ahmedabad? 🎬💥

If you’re standing anywhere near the boundary today, just run for your life!

— AMAN SINGH (@DrivenOnField)

Yeah!

Sanju Samson’s shot hit the umpire hard. And then what… it almost felt like the umpire silently cursed him, as Sanju was out shortly after..🤔
— Banrakas (@RitikSriva75)

oops!

7:45 PM - Umpire got hit by ball

8:15 PM - Cameraman got hit by ball. Sanju Samson

Abhishek sharma
— Zohra Fatima (@Z0hra_Fatma)

Ouch!

— Usman mohammed (@Usmanmoham35703)

Hurt!

That one must have hurt. 🩹 times this one sweetly and the ball rockets off the bowlers hand and umpire Rohan Pandit cops a nasty blow to his shin. 🫣😵‍💫 5th T20I | LIVE NOW 👉
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia)

yes!

Harshit Rana is giving Moral support to the Umpire 😭
— Shubh (@Not_an_Eng1neer)

Umpire got injured!

Sanju Samson ಬಾರಿಸಿದ ಹೊಡೆತಕ್ಕೆ Umpire ಫೆಲ್ ಡೌನ್!👀

📺 ವೀಕ್ಷಿಸಿ | 👉 5th T20I | LIVE NOW | ನಿಮ್ಮ Star Sports ಕನ್ನಡ & JioHotstar ನಲ್ಲಿ.
— Star Sports Kannada (@StarSportsKan)

Haha!