A truly poignant moment occurred during India's first ODI against England when Krunal Pandya broke down during his interview. The emotion came right after he achieved the fastest debut fifty in ODI history, a milestone he dedicated to the memory of his father, Himanshu Pandya.
One of the most powerful visuals of the India vs England 1st ODI was Krunal Pandya breaking down in the mid-innings interview after smashing the fastest ODI fifty on debut. Krunal wasn’t able to hold back the tears as he dedicated the knock to his late father Himanshu Pandya.
Once the victory was sealed, Krunal used Twitter to express his gratitude toward his father, describing him as the foundation of his strength and the person who supported him through every challenge of his career.
In a moving tweet, Krunal wrote: “Papa, with every ball you were always on my mind and in my heart. Tears rolled down my face as I felt your presence with me. Thank you for being my strength, for being the biggest support I’ve had. I hope I made you proud. This is for you Papa, everything we do is for you Papa.”
Entering the game as the eldest of the Pandya siblings, Krunal arrived at the crease just as India's batting lineup was faltering, making the target of 300 seem unreachable. However, he immediately took control, punishing Sam Curran with three boundaries in one over. Krunal's explosive 58 runs from 31 balls—consisting of 7 fours and 2 sixes—shattered John Morris's record for the fastest debut fifty. This effort, combined with an unbeaten 112-run partnership with KL Rahul (62*), propelled India to a total of 317 for 5.