'People said all kinds of nasty things': Krunal Pandya breaks down in tears in heart-wrenching post for brother Hardik

India all-rounder Krunal Pandya was left inconsolable as he broke down in tears in his emotional social media post on his brother Hardik, who overcame a storm of criticism over the last few months to help India claim the T20 World Cup trophy. Krunal, hailing Hardik's stunning comeback, said people forgot that he is just a "human being with emotions". Krunal Pandya in tears after watching Hardik Pandya overcome difficult phase of his career

The criticisms had begun after Mumbai Indians shockingly replaced Rohit Sharma with Hardik as the captain last December for the IPL 2024 season. While the move was lashed out at by veteran cricketers and experts, Hardik was attacked on social media. The online attack soon turned into boos during each of Mumbai's matches and remained a constant as the side finished bottom of the table for the second time in three seasons.

However, Hardik bounced back from the IPL drama in stunning fashion to play a pivotal role in India's run to a second T20 World Cup win. One of his best performances came in the final, against South Africa, where he dismissed the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen before picking two wickets in the final over to successfully defend 16 runs as India won by seven runs.

Krunal, who was left teary-eyed watching Hardik during one of his post-match interactions in Barbados, penned a long, emotional post on his Instagram handle.

"It’s almost been a decade since Hardik and I started playing professional cricket. And the last few days have been like a fairy tale that we’ve dreamt off," he wrote. “Like every countryman I've lived this through our teams' heroics and I couldn’t be more emotional with my brother being at the heart of it.”

Krunal then highlighted how Hardik bravely fought against the ruthless reaction from the Wankhede crowd all through the IPL 2024 season and how he kept his focus on winning the World Cup for India.

"The last six months have been the toughest for Hardik. He simply didn’t deserve what he went through, and as a brother, I felt very, very bad for him. From booing, to people saying all kinds of nasty things, at the end of the day, we all forgot that he is just a human being who also has emotions. He somehow passed through all of this with a smile, though I know how hard it was for him to put on a smile. He kept working hard and focusing on what he needed to do to get the World Cup since that was his ultimate objective," he added.

Despite his struggles, Hardik proved decisive during the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, especially in crucial moments for Team India, including the final. Overall, he scored 144 runs at a strike rate of 151.57 in six innings and picked up 11 wickets throughout the tournament.

"I just want to remind people that what Hardik has done in such a short span in his career is unbelievable. His efforts for the national team have never been compromised. Every time, at every stage of Hardik’s life, people have written him off, and that has only motivated him to come back even stronger. For Hardik, it has always been country first, and it will always be that way. For a young boy coming from Baroda, there can be no bigger achievement than helping his team win the World Cup.

"Hardik, I am so, so proud of you. I love you so much, and you deserve every bit of happiness and all the good things that are coming your way. I have immense respect for you, my bachhu," Krunal concluded.

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