Mumbai Indians batsman Hardik Pandya, on Sunday, hammered the fastest fifty (off 17 balls) in this edition of the IPL, against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.
Pandya 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. Pandya was eventually caught off Harry Gurney for a 34-ball 91 comprising nine sixes and six fours.
For a better part of the last six months, Hardik has been cooling his heels due to a variety of reasons. No doubt the back injury he suffered during the Asia Cup in September had recurred and broken him down frequently. But it was the controversy over his comments about women on a popular television chat show that resulted in him being suspended along with teammate K.L. Rahul.
