Mumbai Indians all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed the fastest fifty (off 17 balls) of the IPL 2019, against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
Hardik went one better than Delhi Capitals’ wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who earlier held the record for the quickest half-century, against the Mumbai Indians off 18 balls. The junior Pandya was eventually caught off Harry Gurney for a 34-ball 91 comprising nine sixes and six fours.
He scored almost half of his team’s runs and scored them at a strike rate of 267.64.
It is also the highest score in IPL for Hardik and as well as the highest individual score for the Mumbai Indians this year. He lacked any sort of support from the other end as the visitors kept losing regular wickets while chasing a mammoth 233.
Earlier, Andre Russell struck an unbeaten 80 from just 40 deliveries to help KKR reach the highest score of the season. Every batsmen contributed for the home team with youngster Shubhman Gill smashing 76 off 45 balls. Opener Chris Lynn too found form, hitting 54 off just 29 balls.
However, Pandya’s innings was clearly the main attraction of the match even though it came in a losing effort.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Truly outstanding hitting from @hardikpandya7, but unfortunately he didn’t get enough support from the rest of the team. Congratulations to @KKRiders for a very convincing victory.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 28, 2019
Pun Diya ! Incredible innings from Hardik #KKRvMI
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 28, 2019
One of the innings of the #IPL. 91(34). 9×6, 6×4. There was a distant whiff while he was in #HardikPandya https://t.co/IzsxIekHDp
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 28, 2019
Thank you for all the entertainment Hardik. You deserve every bit of the applause 💙#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #KKRvMI @hardikpandya7 pic.twitter.com/s6pZzLOaSQ
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 28, 2019
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
Ridiculous Batting skills … @hardikpandya7 91 off 34 balls !!!! #ipl2019
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) April 28, 2019
What an innings this by Hardik Pandya. Departs after a brilliant 91.#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/MAglbx91h2
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 28, 2019
.@hardikpandya7 tonight👇
Fastest fifty in #IPL2019 ✅
Joint-fastest fifty for an #MI player ✅#OneFamily #CricketMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/sgMT13r4dX— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 28, 2019
Outstanding hitting @hardikpandya7 class 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 28, 2019
Hardik Pandya….. 🙌🙇♂️ #KKRvMI
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 28, 2019
https://twitter.com/ChaharDeepak9/status/1122567144938467328
Hardik Pandya could be the Lance Klusener of 1999 for India in #Worldcup2019 #WC19 #KKRvMI #IPL2019
— Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa) April 28, 2019
So Hardik Pandya is basically Andre Russell without the muscle.#KingsOfSixes
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 28, 2019
17-ball half-century for Hardik Pandya – the fastest fifty of #IPL2019
PB: Rishabh Pant (18 balls)#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/ln1ywQPwmp
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 28, 2019
When u see aggression and talent has a defined version in the name of Hardik pandya 💪🏿 😎 pic.twitter.com/ezHjaAeYNu
— JAMES (@ImJames_) April 28, 2019
Highest individual scores at No.6 or a lower position in the IPL:
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— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) 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
Betters the previous quickest by Glenn Maxwell – 90 in 38 balls (S/r 236.84) for #KXIP vs CSK at Cuttack in 2014#IPL2019— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 29, 2019
Most sixes in IPL 2019:
50 – Russell
32 – Gayle
27 – HARDIK PANDYA
26 – De Villiers
19 – WarnerPandya only Indian in top-5. #KKRvMI
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) April 28, 2019
Hardik Pandya looks more tenacious & trenchant after the Koffee With Karan fiasco. Seems like he has turned over a new leaf. Always had enormous ability but has now gained acumen to harness it effectively! Stunning innings. His form augurs well for World Cup #IPL2019 #KKRvsMI
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) April 28, 2019
What an innings by Hardik Pandya!#KKRvMI pic.twitter.com/AvRAa7PpQk
— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB) April 28, 2019
