IPL 2024: From winning four titles to slamming fastest fifty in 2019, a look at Hardik Pandya's achievements at MI

Hardik Pandya completed a blockbuster return to his former side Mumbai Indians (MI) from Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday. The deal, which costs Rs 15 crore, was finalized by both franchises on Monday after it was earlier reported that the all-rounder would be returning to MI after two years at GT. Hardik returns to Mumbai Indians after leading Gujarat Titans to their maiden IPL title in 2022, which was also their debut season in the cash-rich league. When he made the move to GT from MI ahead of the 2022 IPL season, Pandya had left a lasting legacy on the Mumbai Indians, and returning to the Rohit Sharma-led outfit will give him the opportunity to continue that legacy. Let’s now take a look at how it all started for Pandya at MI and his major achievements and milestones with the franchise: From being signed at Rs 10 lakh by Mumbai Indians at the IPL 2015 player auction till now, Pandya has certainly come a long way. Pandya made his IPL debut in a game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on 19 April. Coming onto bat at number eight, Pandya would go onto amass an unbeaten 16 off just six balls, slamming Abu Nechim for two sixes in the 20th over to help Mumbai post 209, that would eventually end up in a winning cause In his debut season, Pandya would go onto amass an unbeaten 61 off 31 deliveries against Kolkata Knight Riders, helping MI post 171 on board which prove enough for them to clinch a five-run win. Hardik Pandya would then go onto become an integral part of MI’s lineup, providing the perfect balance between bat and ball. Between 2015 and 2021, Hardik has gone onto amass 1476 runs to MI, while also taking 42 wickets. Hardik would also go onto win the IPL on four occasions with MI, in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. More importantly, over the next few years, Hardik would establish himself as a finisher with the bat. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2015 at Chepauk, Hardik went onto amass 21 off eight balls while coming onto bat at number six, helping MI chase down 159 with four balls to spare. Fast forward four years, In the IPL 2019 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Hardik would go onto amass his highest IPL score of 91 off just 34 balls. He would go onto claim the fastest fifty of IPL 2019 in that match, off just 17 balls. During this, he had beaten Rishabh Pant’s record, who had taken 18 balls to score his fifty in the same season, incidentally against Mumbai Indians.