Hardik Pandya becomes 5th fastest Indian to score 1,000 ODI runs

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya reached another milestone in his career as he became the fastest Indian to 1000 ODI runs during the ongoing 1st ODI of the 3-match series between India and Australia in Sydney. Pandya took just 857 deliveries to hit 1000 runs in One Day Internationals for India.

Overall, Pandya is the fifth-fastest batsman in the world to score 1,000 ODI runs after West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell (787 balls), New Zealand wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi (807 balls), Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi (834 balls) and New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson (854 balls).

Hardik, who is playing his first match as a pure batsman for India, impressed with his unique power-hitting skills as he got to his fifty off just 31 balls with a huge six against Glenn Maxwell. India lost KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli in



quick succession as Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa struck on regular intervals after a solid 53-run opening stand between Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan.

Pandya came in to bat in the 14th over and took the attack to leg-spinner Adam Zampa as he smashed the Australian spinner for a six and a four. Glenn Maxwell was the next Australian bowler to fall prey to Hardik Pandya's power-hitting prowess. Pandya smashed Maxwell for two huge sixes and a four to keep up with the required run rate.

Earlier, Aaron Finch blasted his 17th century and fourth against India while Steve Smith hit a century off just 62 balls, his quickest ever. Combined with an aggressive 69 from David Warner and a brilliant 19-ball blitz of 45 from Glenn Maxwell, Australia notched up a mammoth 374/6 against India in the first ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.