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 oꦯn 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 hi🌺ghest 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 ot꧒her 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 𒀰balls.
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 , but unfortunately he didn’t get enough support from the rest of the team. Congratulations to fo🅘r a very convincing victory.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt)
Pun Diya ! Incredible innings from Hardik
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
One of the innings of the . 91(34). 9×6, 6×4. There was a distant whiff while he was in
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Thank you for all the entertainment Hardik. You deꦚserve every bit of the app𒀰lause 💙
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan)
If you aren’t watching 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 Worldꦕ Cup..
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta)
Ridiculous Batting skills … 91 off 34 balls !!!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
What an i🍌nn༺ings this by Hardik Pandya. Departs after a brilliant 91.
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL)
. tonight👇
Fastest fifty in ✅
Joint-fastest fifty for an player ✅— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan)
Outstanding hitting class 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
Hardik Pandya….. 🙌🙇♂️
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
//t🌠witter.com/ChaharDeepak9/status/11225671🍨44938467328
Hardik Pandya could be the Lance Klusene꧂r of 1999 for India in
— Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa)
So Hardik Pa🐭ndya is basically Andre Russell without the muscle.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar)
17-ball half-century for Hardik Pandya – the fastest fifty of
PB: Rishabh Pant (18 balls)
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz)
When u see aggression and talent has a defin🦩ed version in the na🅘me of Hardik pandya 💪🏿 😎
— JAMES (@ImJames_)
Highe🌼st 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)— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
'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 cricket.
Betters the previous quickest by Glenn Maxwell – 90 in 38 balls (S/r 236.84) for vs CSK at Cuttack in 2014— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Most sixes in IPL 2019:
50 – Russell
32 – Gayle
27 – HARDIK PANDYA
26 – De Villiers
19 – WarnerPandya only Indian in top-5.
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
Hardik Pandya looks more tenacious & trenchant after the Koffee With Karan fiasco. Seems🅺 like he has turned over a new leaf. Always had enormouꦉs ability but has now gained acumen to harness it effectively! Stunning innings. His form augurs well for World Cup
— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra)
What an innings by Hardik Pandya!
— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB)
