Winning the toss and opting to field first proved to be a brilliant decision for the New Zealand side at the start of the game, as Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson reduced the Asian side to 30/3 during the powerplay.
However, a 98-run fourth-wicket partnership between Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel steadied the ship for India before a flurry of wickets brought Hardik’s brutal power-hitting to the forefront, leaving Williamson wincing in the process.
After initially preventing the ball from reaching the boundary ropes, the fifth ball of the 45th over saw Will O’Rourke bowl on a length, offering width outside the stumps.
Hardik cut fiercely at it, sending the ball like a tracer bullet straight to Williamson at point. The former New Zealand captain tried to stop the white rock with his palm, but the impact wasn’t soft.
— ashik (@ashik1587212) March 2, 2025
Kane Williamson after stopping the ball hit by Hardik Pandya 😂 pic.twitter.com/nQCBSnihwO
— Radha (@Rkc1511165) March 2, 2025
He was struck hard, visibly wincing in pain as he leapt in frustration, flinching his hands in all directions. The incident sparked a flurry of reactions across Twitter, adding to the drama of the moment.