Indian cricketers Hardik and Krunal Pandyas’ father, Himanshu Pandya has passed away at the age of 71. The cricketing world woke up to this shocking development on Saturday morning when Himanshu Pandya suffered a cardiac arrest. He sadly suffered a heart attack and could not survive.
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Junior of the Pandya brothers, Hardik Pandya, had returned to India after the limited over series against Australia last month. Hardik Pandya was at home at the time of his father breathing his last. While elder brother Krunal, who was leading the Baroda team in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Trophy, has also left the tournament mid-way to reach back home. It is learnt that Krunal Pandya has broken the bio-bubble protocol in order to be with his father during his last rites.
Krunal Pandya was leading the domestic team, Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy when this news arrived. The Baroda Cricket Association CEO Shishir Hattangadi was quoted saying, “Yes, Krunal Pandya has left the bubble. It is a personal tragedy, Baroda Cricket Association mourns this loss of Hardik and Krunal.” Krunal Pandya was recently in midst of a controversy when teammate Deepak Hooda had alleged that Krunal Pandya hurled abuses at him. Hooda left the team before the tournament began citing issues with the captain, Krunal Pandya.
Himanshu Pandya was a proud father:
It is said to note that Himanshu Pandya who had encouraged his sons to take up the sport is no more. He was often happy with the fact that his boys are leading a life they always wanted to live. In an interview with MI TV, Himanshu Pandya had once quoted that, “Whenever I speak about Hardik and Krunal, I cannot control my tears and that they have done so well is God’s gift. Our intentions of letting them play cricket from a very young age was questioned and criticised by many relatives. But we were not willing to change our plans, and it is great to see what they have achieved now.”
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It was his conviction in his sons that paid off handsomely. While Krunal Pandya is almost always at the fringes of national selection, Hardik Pandya is an integral member of the Indian team across formats. Himanshu Pandya surely must have left a contented man.
