Hardik Pandya's 3 best batting performances for Mumbai Indians
Hardik Pandya has reportedly been traded to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in an all-cash deal ahead of the IPL 2024 mini-auction. The all-rounder was drafted by then-IPL newcomers, the Gujarat Titans (GT), in 2021 after being released by MI.
Pandya made his IPL debut for MI in 2015 and went on to win four IPL titles with them. He had become an indispensable player in the side due to his all-round capabilities and match-winning abilities.
However, only three capped Indian players could have been retained prior to the IPL 2022 mega auction. Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were favored by the five-time IPL winners.
Hardik Pandya was acquired by GT for ₹15 crore, along with Rashid Khan (₹15 crore) and Shubman Gill (₹7 crore). These core players helped GT win the IPL 2022 title and reach the finals of the 2023 edition.
Now that Hardik Pandya seems set for a homecoming at the Wankhede, the stadium where he made a name for himself, it's time to look at his three best batting performances for the Mumbai Indians.
#3 21* off 8 balls vs CSK (IPL 2015)
IPL 2015 was Hardik Pandya's introduction to mainstream cricket fans. Although he didn't play a big role in the Mumbai Indians' title win, he did contribute with a couple of cameos with the bat.
Pandya's first match-winning knock for MI came against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 8, 2015, at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium. The Mumbai Indians needed 159 runs to win.
Pandya came in to bat at 125/4 in the 18th over. He smoked three sixes off Pawan Negi in the 19th over to cruise to the total with four balls to spare. His unbeaten 21 off just eight balls was a sign of things to come.
#2 61* off 31 balls vs KKR (IPL 2015)
Many people watching the aforementioned cameo by Hardik Pandya against CSK might have shrugged it off as a one-off performance. The explosive batter proved them wrong less than a week later against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 14, 2015.
The Mumbai Indians batted first at the Wankhede Stadium and were 79-4 in the 12th over when Pandya walked in. Considering Harbhajan Singh was next to bat, the Mumbai-based outfit would have settled for 150.
However, Pandya played one of the best knocks of the tournament, scoring 61* off 31 balls. On the other hand, Kieron Pollard remained unbeaten on 33 off 38 balls. Pandya's innings included eight boundaries and two sixes. KKR fell six runs short of the 172-run target.
#1 91 off 34 balls vs KKR (IPL 2019)
The Mumbai Indians have a sensational 23-9 record vs KKR, and much of it is down to Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. While Rohit has scored over 1,000 runs against the Knight Riders, Pandya has won three of his eight Man of the Match awards against them.
Pandya played his best IPL knock on April 28, 2019, against KKR at the Eden Gardens. The home team scored a massive 232/2 in the first innings, riding on half-centuries by Shubman Gill, Chris Lynn and Andre Russell.
None of the MI batters scored in excess of 30 apart from Pandya. He came in to bat at 58-4 in the ninth over, and hit six boundaries and nine sixes before being dismissed for 91 off just 34 balls in the 18th over.
MI lost the match by 34 runs. Ironically, Pandya didn't win the Player of the Match award for his best-ever IPL performance.