Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer fondly recounted his first encounter with top all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Reflecting on that memorable occasion, Jaffer revealed that they met at Irfan Pathan’s home during a dinner gathering. “I first met him during the 2014 or 2015 Ranji season when Mumbai faced Baroda in Baroda. Although I was sidelined due to an injury, I traveled with the team. It was my final season with Mumbai before I transitioned to Vidarbha. I still vividly remember going to Irfan’s house for dinner, where I had the pleasure of meeting Hardik and his brother Krunal for the first time,” he shared. Jaffer recalled how Irfan introduced Hardik to him, emphasizing his potential. “Irfan said, ‘Meet Hardik, he’s going to play very soon.’ In fact, Hardik was picked by the Mumbai Indians that same season. Irfan mentioned that Hardik was a big admirer of mine, to which Hardik responded, ‘I watch your batting often and really appreciate your style of play.'” The 48-year-old Jaffer expressed his gratitude that Hardik still cites him as an inspiration. “It’s heartwarming that he continues to mention my name in front of such prominent stars. That’s why there’s been a surge of interest in who Wasim Jaffer is. While people often hear other names, they might forget me since I made my mark in First-Class cricket,” he concluded. Hardik Pandya is set to represent the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), with their campaign kicking off against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
