Hardik Pandya, India’s premier all-rounder for the Asia Cup 2025, couldn’t get the chance to bat in the first couple of games of the competition against Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. That was why he was sent at number four against Oman to get some good batting time in the middle ahead of the Super 4 stage of the event. 

But it didn’t go his way. Sanju Samson drove the ball straight as it hit the hands of the bowler and rolled on to the stumps to find the right-handed batter short of the crease. The idea of keeping Hardik Pandya in the middle for a long period didn’t work out. But the veteran showed his fielding skills towards the end of the innings.

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On the fourth delivery of the 18th over, Aamir Kaleem flicked Harshit Rana at the fine leg region, where Hardik came running in and moved to his right rapidly to throw his hands at the ball and grabbed a fine catch to keep his balance in the action. Kaleem was dismissed for 64 runs in 46 balls with the help of seven boundaries and two sixes.

Watch: Hardik Pandya takes stunning catch against Oman in Asia Cup 2025

Later, coming to bowl the penultimate over of the innings, Hardik picked up the wicket of Hammad Mirza on 51 runs in 33 balls. The batter looked to pull the short of length delivery from the Baroda pacer, but fell short in the timing as the sub-fielder, Rinku Singh, grabbed a fine catch with Pandya ending with 1/26 in four overs.

Hardik Pandya takes a jaw-dropper to stop Kaleem in his tracks 👌

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Earlier, Sanju Samson played a decent knock of 56 runs in 45 balls at a strike rate of 124.44 with three boundaries and three sixes. Abhishek Sharma was excellent at the top with 38 runs in 15 balls, besides Tilak Verma contributing with 29 runs in 18 balls to post 188/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

All of Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav picked up one wicket each in the innings to restrict Oman for 167/4 in their 20 overs to earn the victory by 21 runs.