Hardik Pandya reveals what he did with the ball before Imam’s dismissal

Pandya delivered a length ball to Imam, prompting him to attempt a shot, resulting in the ball catching the outside edge

PHOTO: AFP

Rohit Sharma's 86 and an inspired bowling display helped India hammer Pakistan by seven wickets in their high-profile World Cup clash at the 132,000-capacity Ahmedabad stadium on Saturday.

A notable incident during the match occurred in the first innings when all-rounder Hardik Pandya was observed whispering to the ball just before successfully dismissing Imam-ul-Haq.

Opening up about the moment, Pandya explained to Star Sports, stating, "I basically hurled abuses at myself to bowl a better length."

His self-motivation seemed to work wonders as he delivered a length ball that deceived Imam, prompting him to attempt a shot, resulting in the ball catching the outside edge. A well-executed catch by Rahul secured the wicket.

Pandya's animated send-off to Imam, marked by a wave, drew disapproval from Pakistani fans. Some speculations even arose about whether Pandya applied saliva to the ball before the dismissal, adding an element of intrigue to the match's narrative.