Surprise meeting: Hardik Pandya delights young WPL player with 'HP33' inscribed bat

Kashvee Gautam's dream came true when she had the chance to meet her idol, Hardik Pandya, at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Eliminator held at the Brabourne Stadium. As a medium pacer for the Gujarat Giants, Kashvee cherished the heartfelt conversation she had with Hardik, which has now become a viral sensation.

Hardik, who captains Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, was present at the stadium alongside his teammates to witness the high-stakes clash between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants. During his visit, he shared a warm conversation with the young pacer, leaving her overwhelmed with joy.

“Big fan, Sir,” Kashvee said upon meeting him. Hardik replied, asking “Sab badhiya? (All good?)” She enthusiastically replied, “Ji haan bahut badhiya. (Yes, all good)”

The conversation soon turned to cricket, with Hardik keen to know how her WPL season had gone. “Kaisa raha season? (How was your season?)” he asked. Kashvee responded with a beaming smile, “Bahut acha thha. (Pretty good).”

At that moment, Gujarat Giants’ Harleen Deol joined in and revealed to Hardik that she didn't only admired him but also imitated him frequently.

“Tum batting bhi karti ho? (You do batting as well?)” Hardik asked. “Haan, batting bhi karti hu (Yes),” Kashvee replied confidently.

Deol then quipped, “HP33 likhwaya hai bat pe (She has got HP33 written on her bat),” revealing that Kashvee had Pandya’s initials on her bat, a revelation that left the star all-rounder grinning ear to ear.

The discussion went even further into technical aspects with Pandya enquiring the weight of her bat. Kashvee responded, “1100.” Appreciating her dedication, Pandya warmly offered, “Main shred karke bhijwata hu. (I will shred it and send it to you) Nice to meet you. Good luck.”

Overjoyed, Kashvee received hugs from her teammates after the interaction.

Watch:

Meanwhile, on the field, Mumbai Indians stormed into their second consecutive WPL final, courtesy of blistering knocks from Nat Sciver-Brunt (77 off 41) and Hayley Matthews (77 off 50). Their powerful hitting propelled MI to a formidable 213/4, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur providing the final flourish with a 12-ball 36.

Gujarat Giants faltered under pressure, crumbling to 166 all out in the final over. Three run-outs further compounded their woes, while Matthews chipped in with the ball as well, taking two crucial wickets. With this win, Mumbai Indians extended their dominant record over Gujarat Giants, securing a seventh straight victory in WPL history. They will now face Delhi Capitals in the final on March 15.

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