Sanjay Manjrekar, a former India cricketer and current commentator, recalled asking the crowd at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium to stop booing Hardik Pandya during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Pandya had a match-winning performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa, when India ended their 11-year ICC trophy drought and won their second T20 World Cup trophy. It was a remarkable turnaround for Pandya, 30, who had been a target of ire from Mumbai (MI) fans who had refused to accept him as captain of their franchise.

After bowling the last over to help India win the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados on Saturday, June 29, Manjrekar praised Hardik Pandya as a big-match performer.

For Pandya, the entire incident was life-altering.

While Manjrekar did step in during MI's toss at the Wankhede during a home match, the rude trolls on social media turned it into a meme-fest.

With 144 runs and 11 wickets, Pandya was instrumental in India's second Twenty20 World Cup victory, and Manjrekar is finally justified.

“What a turnaround for Hardik Pandya. In IPL, there were people jeering him and booing him and I told them to behave because this is a big-stage player,” Manjrekar told 'ESPNCricinfo.

The famous analyst and former India player believed that Pandya would keep his cool under pressure; Pandya did just that, bringing his team back into the game by bowling out the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen and then completing the game with an unbelievable final over.

“We have seen that umpteen times, wickets of Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and right at the end, Rabada, so he was a champion and no surprise, to see him flourish on the big stage. Even in that semifinal against England, he came in and gave India some hope with 60 off 33. So that's what he is all about. You felt safe when he came to bowl in the last over, he was not going to lose his nerves, he was going to bowl sensibly,” he added.

In the 20th over, Hardik Pandya bowled a 16-run over that helped India win by seven runs. After the match, he was in tears. The 30-year-old originally responded to the victory by discussing the booing and trolling he had experienced from complete strangers. He pleaded with the audience to show greater poise going forward.

“I believe in grace. A lot was said by people who don’t know even know me one percent as a person. People have spoken, no issues but I have always believed in life that you never respond with words, circumstances can respond. Even difficult times, they don’t last forever. It is important to be graceful, whether you win or lose," Hardik Pandya said.

“It is time for fans and everyone else to learn that (to be graceful). We need to find better ways to conduct yourself. I am sure the same people will be happy,” he concluded.