Pandya dismissed key LSG batters including Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Aiden Markram, David Miller, and Akash Deep. His fiery spell came after LSG got off to a roaring start, thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s blistering 60 off 31. However, Marsh’s dismissal by Vignesh Puthur helped MI regain control.

Entering the attack in the 9th over, Hardik immediately turned the tide by removing Pooran and then Pant in quick succession. With this performance, he also moved closer to Shane Warne’s record for the most wickets by a captain in IPL history. Warne holds the record with 57 wickets, while Pandya now has 30.

At the halfway mark, David Miller praised Hardik’s sharp bowling, noting his deceptive pace and ability to control length. “He’s quicker than he looks and bowled really well tonight,” said Miller in a mid-innings chat.

Despite Pandya’s heroics, LSG managed to post a challenging 203/8 in their 20 overs, with Aiden Markram contributing 53 runs alongside Marsh. However, the team’s captain, Rishabh Pant, struggled once again, managing only 2 runs off 6 balls — marking his fourth consecutive low score this season.

Commenting on the pitch, Miller said it was a bit two-paced and suggested that bowlers would benefit from back-of-length deliveries. "It stuck a little... hopefully our bowlers can replicate what Hardik did," he added