Hardik Pandya could not take Mumbai Indians over the line but such was his blistering knock against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday that it may well go down as one of the best innings in Indian Premier League.
On a day that serial big-hitter Andre Russell smashed an unbeaten 80 to help Kolkata Knight Riders notch up a season’s best score of 232/2, the 25-year-old Indian overshadowed the effort with a stunning 91 off 34 balls.
He almost pulled off a miraculous chase but it was KKR who ended their six-match losing streak winning by 34 runs at the Eden Gardens.
Mumbai were in trouble at 58-4 when Pandya walked into the middle and hit the ball to all parts of the ground, bringing up the IPL’s fastest fifty of the season in 17 balls. He smashed six fours and nine sixes before falling to left-arm England paceman Harry Gurney as Mumbai’s chase fell short.
However, fans all over India were ecstatic to see the exhibition of hitting, hoping that Pandya will carry the same kind of form to the World Cup next month. Here’s how Twitter reacted to the slam-bang from the Indian all-rounder.
One of the innings of the #IPL. 91(34). 9x6, 6x4. There was a distant whiff while he was in #HardikPandya https://t.co/IzsxIekHDp
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 28, 2019
Russell got 80 off 40. Hardik got 91 off 34. Take the praise you gave Russell and add another 25-30% to it, that’s what Kung Fu Pandya did today. What an effort! 🙌🔥
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) April 28, 2019
Before this match, the most deliveries Hardik faced in an innings in this IPL: 19. Today he faced 15 more balls and smashed 91. The joke here is that he walks in at No.6
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) April 28, 2019
So Hardik Pandya is basically Andre Russell without the muscle.#KingsOfSixes
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 28, 2019
#MI's Hardik Pandya's 91 in 34 balls (S/r 267.64) is now the fastest individual ninety (ie scores from 90 to 99) in #IPL cricket.#KKRvMI
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 29, 2019
Betters the previous quickest by Glenn Maxwell - 90 in 38 balls (S/r 236.84) for #KXIP vs CSK at Cuttack in 2014#IPL2019
Highest individual scores at No.6 or a lower position in the IPL:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 28, 2019
91 - HARDIK PANDYA v KKR, Today (#6)
88* - Andre Russell v CSK, 2018 (#7)
84* - MS Dhoni v RCB, 2019 (#6)
82* - Chris Morris v GL, 2016 (#6)#IPL2019 #KKRvMI
If Vijay Shankar is a 3D player (Batting , bowling, fielding) Then HARDIK PANDYA is IMAX 3D.
— ANKIT (@Ankitaker2) April 28, 2019
What a knock 91 (34b) #KKRvMI
One man show @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/aufBwUmPqa
Hardik Pandya is Unstoppable today. 17 ball fifty fastest of IPL 2019. Every six he has hit today crossed over 90 meters! What a striker he has turned out to be! Hardik Pandya the best finisher for MI and for India 🔥🎊
— SK (@SiddhantKd) April 28, 2019
If KKR has Russell, MI has Hardik Pandya #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/ynL9PL4NpH
Pun Diya ! Incredible innings from Hardik #KKRvMI
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 28, 2019
We Want This Type of Innings in World Cup 💙 17Ball For 50Runs Hardik Pandya 👍🏻👍🏻 @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/Sa7mrNyZng
— Narendra Paruchuri (@Paruchuri1992) April 28, 2019
Ultimately KKRs total proved to be insurmountable!
— Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) April 28, 2019
Valiant fight from Hardik though !! What mad hitting !! Crrrrrrrrrrrrrracking them!!!! 🏏 #KKRvMI
DRE RUS SUPERSTAR ALL ROUND PERFORMANCE WAS THE DIFFERENCE
If you aren’t watching #IPL2019 this evening, you just missed probably the most stupendous innings by an Indian. 91 in 34 by Hardik Pandya. Incredible talent. Now hope he carries it to England for World Cup..
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) April 28, 2019
Andre and Hardik....some stellar hitting. Spare a thought for the bowlers. This game is evolving into something really intimidating avatar. Nights like these make bowlers irrelevant. #IPL
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 28, 2019
Tough result at Eden Gardens but we learn our lessons and focus on our next game. pic.twitter.com/HBGHwXry1p
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) April 28, 2019
To end on a funny note...
The only Caribbean India ever produced
— TroubleMaker (@Trouble20680883) April 28, 2019
Mr Hardik Pandya.#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/FclOMogYvC