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Indian pace-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya celebrates his 31st birthday today (October 11). Hardik answered India's long-standing search for a quality pace-bowling all-rounder since his IPL debut in 2015.
While his career has been riddled by injuries, he has still managed to overcome those odds to remain an integral member of India's limited-overs setup.
Despite the furor over his return to the Mumbai Indians (MI) as a captain in IPL 2024, it'd be unfair not to call Hardik Pandya an IPL and an MI legend. The Mumbai Indians are one of the most dominant franchises in the history of cricket, and to top any statistic in that team is a mark of a very good player.
Despite the presence of belligerent ball-strikers such as Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, and Rohit Sharma, it's Hardik who boasts the highest strike rate for MI. The birthday boy has scored a whopping 1,692 runs in 98 innings at a mind-blowing strike rate of 152.43.
While we're all aware of some of his best knocks like his 34-ball 91 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Hardik made it a habit to contribute handy little cameos almost every time he came out to bat. These innings always made a huge difference in the outcome of the match for MI.
So on that note, let's look at Hardik Pandya's three best cameos for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Note: Innings where the batter has played 15 balls or less are only considered as cameos.
#3 32 (15) vs DC, IPL 2019
Hardik Pandya played a crucial role in the Mumbai Indians' triumph over the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2019, contributing all-round with bat, ball, and in the field. While he was well supported by the rest of the MI bowlers, it was his fiery cameo that propelled MI to a defendable total, and helped them assert their dominance in that match.
MI was struggling at 104/4 in the 16th over when Hardik joined his brother Krunal Pandya at the crease, and on what was a tricky Delhi wicket, run-scoring wasn't the easiest. Up against experienced pacers like Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada, breaking free wouldn't be easy, but that's precisely what Hardik did.
He laid into a rare over from Keemo Paul, hitting him for a six and a four, before doing the same off Morris' bowling. He then played a phenomenal mini-helicopter shot to leave Kagiso Rabada at a loss for words before being dismissed the very next ball. However, the damage was done as Hardik had taken them to a much better total of 158 before getting out.
With the MI bowlers in fine form, they defended their eventual total of 168 with ease, with Hardik winning the POTM award for his cameo and contributions on the field.
#2 29* (11) vs KKR, IPL 2017
While Hardik didn't end up winning the POTM award in this one, he certainly played a huge part in MI winning the game with another whirlwind cameo.
Batting first, KKR scored 178/7 in their 20 overs courtesy of a Manish Pandey special. MI were struggling at one point in time, with the score at 119/5 in 16.1 overs when Hardik walked in after Kieron Pollard's dismissal, joining Nitish Rana at the crease. The duo simply undid all the good work the KKR bowlers had done up to that point by decimating them at the death.
Hardik began his blitzkrieg with a fierce square cut off Chris Woakes' bowling in the 17th over, leaving MI needing 49 off the last three. Rana then took the attack to Trent Boult, with Hardik joining in with another maximum. Rana then smashed two boundaries off Ankit Rajpoot's bowling before getting out for 50. While MI significantly reduced the deficit, it was up to Hardik to see them through, with 19 runs required off nine balls at that stage.
Hardik, of course, delivered, smashing an effortless six off Ankit Rajpoot's bowling in the 19th over before holding his nerve to score 12 runs in the last over off Trent Boult's bowling to lead them to a win.
He was unbeaten on an 11-ball 29, but it was Nitish Rana who rightfully won the POTM award for his 29-ball 50. Nevertheless, this remains one of Hardik's most impactful knocks.
#1 21* (8) vs CSK, IPL 2015
While not having the most runs, this is arguably one of the most important innings in Hardik Pandya's career, and the one that really endeared him to the MI fans and the IPL. In what was a crunch match in IPL 2015 against fierce rivals Chennai Super Kings, MI was staring down the barrel when Hardik Pandya joined Ambati Rayudu at the crease.
MI needed 30 runs off two overs, and it was Pawan Negi who bowled the 19th over. Hardik smashed him for three sixes, and with Rayudu also adding a maximum for good measure, the game was pretty much done and dusted.
Hardik finished with an unbeaten 8-ball 21, and won the POTM award for his efforts, the first of many for the Indian all-rounder.
