IPL 2021: 5 best finishers in the history of the tournament

4. Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya was first discovered by the Mumbai Indians when they signed him up early and backed him during the initial phase of his career. He brought the limelight towards himself during the 2015 IPL when he played a match-winning knock against Chennai Super Kings, where MI had to chase down a total. 

He followed that up with his first fifty a few days later against Kolkata, when he overshadowed Kieron Pollard towards the death overs. That was the first sight of Hardik as a destructive batsman. But, in the next few seasons, his power-hitting game got developed, so did his immaturity as a batsman which helped him to elevate his game.

So far, in 80 IPL matches, he has managed to score 1349 runs with an average of 29.97. His strike rate during these matches has been 159.26. In the 2020 season, that strike rate had gone up to 179, while in the season before that, it was 191. His batting in the death overs and his growth as a batsman have crucial reasons behind Mumbai’s success.