Best Innings of Krunal Pandya in IPL
Unlike other successful franchises like Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, much of Mumbai Indians’ success if recent. Their scouts and team management have made more shrewd signings in the auction, which helped a long way in making Mumbai the current most successful team of the competition. Amongst those, the Pandya brothers are undoubtedly the best gems that they unearthed.
While younger brother Hardik Pandya was the first to make the headlines, Krunal Pandya soon joined him to form one of the best brother pairs the competition has ever seen. While Hardik is known more for his batting, Krunal Pandya can be regarded as a bowling all-rounder. But one can ignore his batting abilities at his own peril.
5 Best Innings of Krunal Pandya in IPL
Pandya has played some absolutely astonishing knocks in IPL. Let us have a look at the 5 Best Batting Performance of Krunal Pandya in IPL:
5. 47 (38) vs Rising Pune Supergiant – IPL 10
Most of Krunal Pandya‘s better batting displays came in crucial games, and back in 2017, no game was more crucial than this one between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiant at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. It was the final of IPL 2017.
Batting first, Mumbai’s top and middle-order collapsed like nine pins. They found themselves 7 wickets down with just 79 runs on the scoreboard. Just when people were thinking an all-out before 100 was on the cards, Pandya came to the rescue. He played a gutsy knock of 47 runs from 38 games, which included a couple of sixes. This knock helped Mumbai score 129, which was ultimately enough for them to lift the trophy for the third time.
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4. 45* (30) vs Kolkata Knight Riders – IPL 10
This entry on the list of top 5 Best Innings of Krunal Pandya in IPL is once again from 2017 – the season where Pandya scored the most runs. This was again a very crucial tie, as Mumbai Indians took on Kolkata Knight Riders at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium for the Qualifier 2.
Jasprit Bumrah and Karn Sharma‘s brilliance helped Mumbai bundle KKR out for just 107. But their top-order fumbled as well, and Mumbai lost 3 wickets after scoring just 34 runs. Pandya was once again the saviour, playing an unbeaten knock of 45. He hit eight boundaries in this innings.
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3. 41* (22) vs Chennai Super Kings – IPL 11
Pandya started the 2018 season right from where he finished in 2017. After a stunning display in the IPL 2017 final, he was once again the star in the inaugural match of the 2018 season. Mumbai Indians took on Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium for this game.
Batting first, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav set up a good foundation for the finishers. Krunal Pandya’s job was to swing his bat at everything, which he did and ended up scoring an unbeaten 41 from 22 balls. His innings contained 5 fours and a couple of sixes. It helped Mumbai cross the 160-run mark.
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2. 49* (28) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – IPL 9
The next entry on the list of Best Batting Performance of Krunal Pandya inIPL is from 2016 season when Pandya marked his debut in the competition. He took no time to settle in, as in just the 12th game of the season, fans witnessed what he is truly capable of. Mumbai took on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium for this game.
Mumbai had a poor start to this game, losing 4 wickets with just 60 runs on the board and only 9 overs to spare. But Pandya put on his destroyer’s gloves once again and scored a quickfire unbeaten 49. His knock, which included 3 fours and as many sixes, helped Mumbai score a respectable total of 142.
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1. 86 (37) vs Delhi Capitals – IPL 9
Pandya came agonizingly close to his maiden IPL half-century in the 12th game of the 2016 season, but he eventually got it in the 47th game of the same season. This was a game between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium. Batting first, skipper Rohit Sharma and Kiwi batter Martin Guptill gave Mumbai just the start that they wanted.
After Sharma’s dismissal in the 7th over, the MI team management played a punt by sending Pandya at number 3. That worked miracles as he scored a fabulous 86 from just 37 deliveries. Scoring at the strike rate of over 230, his knock included 7 fours and 6 sixes. It helped Mumbai post a mammoth total of 206, which was eventually too big a target for Delhi Capitals to chase down.
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