IND vs AUS, CT 2025: 'Knee Got Twisted, Could Not Walk' - Yograj Singh Hails Hardik Pandya After Match-Winning Cameo

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Former Indian cricketer Yograj Singh hailed Hardik Pandya after the all-rounder allgedly braved through injury to produce a potential match-winning cameo against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final on Tuesday (March 4) in Dubai.

Hardik walked into bat with 40 needed off 42 balls for victory, but the equation changed to over a run-a-ball at the start of the 47th over, when the all-rounder changed the context with a couple of sixes to take India within reach of victory.

Pandya departed after another boundary in the 48th over. The 31-year-old's cameo of 28 off 24 balls included 3 sixes and 1 four. And following the match, Yograj Singh revealed that the all-rounder had twisted his knee earlier, but still walked out to play a role in the winning cause.

"Cricket is a religion in our country. When these players, who give their blood and sweat for us, when they fall, pick them up, when they feel sad, console them, when they cannot walk, then lift them on your shoulders.

"Hardik's knee was twisted. But he scored some sixes and stood for his country. People should learn from this. People should be positive, irrespective of win or loss. If you keep talking down on a player, he goes down forever," Yograj Singh told ANI.

The former India cricketer then also heaped praise on match-winner Virat Kohli after picking New Zealand as the potential final opponents. New Zealand face South Africa in the second semi-final on Wednesday (March 5).

"India is in the finals today... The final will be between New Zealand and India and India will win," he added. India has already beaten New Zealand in the group stage of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025.

Virat's chase masterclass once again grabbed the spotlight as his perfectly-calculated knock of 84 runs guided India to a four-wicket win over Australia, lifting them from 43/2 to a successful run chase of 265 runs, which was proving to be tricky initially.

Once again, the 36-year-old made a tough run-chase look like a cakewalk and re-wrote several records in the process. And the chase-master earned praise from Yograj Singh, who was also critical of the manner of his dismissal.

"Virat is a match-winner. But I feel sad because that shot was unnecessary. He should have finished the match. He is like a son to me. He could have done a century and had India lost, it would have been wasted. He changed the game today," he said.