The 20th match of IPL 2025 is all set to take place on Monday, April 7, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The match will begin at 7:30 PM IST, and all eyes will be on MI captain Hardik Pandya, who is eager to guide his team back to winning ways after a few disappointing games.
While RCB is led by Rajat Patidar, one of the most interesting face-offs that cricket fans might remember today is not between the captains but between Hardik Pandya and experienced fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Hardik Pandya vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar in IPL
Whenever Hardik Pandya faces Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the IPL, it’s a tight battle. Bhuvi is known for his swing and smart variations, while Hardik is known for his aggressive hitting. But in this battle, Bhuvneshwar seems to have had the upper hand so far.
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Innings (Inns) | 8 |
| Runs Scored | 35 |
| Balls Faced (BF) | 29 |
| Batting Average (Bat Av) | 17.5 |
| Batting Strike Rate (Bat SR) | 120.68 |
| Strike Rate (SR) | 7.24 |
| Wickets Lost (Wkts) | 2 |
Year Wise :-
| Year | Runs | Balls | Outs | Dots | 4s | 6s | SR | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75.0 | – |
| 2019 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 125.0 | 5.0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 233.3 | – |
| 2022 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | – |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | 2.0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 83.3 | – |
| 2025 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 160.0 | – |
| Total | 35 | 29 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 120.7 | 17.5 |
See Also:- Hardik Pandya Captaincy Record
Expert’s Take:
- Hardik Pandya has scored 35 runs off 29 balls from Bhuvneshwar Kumar in 8 innings, which shows he has played cautiously.
- Bhuvneshwar has dismissed Hardik 2 times, and has kept him quiet with an economy of just 7.24 – an impressive number in T20 cricket.
- Hardik’s strike rate of 120.68 against Bhuvi is below his usual attacking style, showing the respect he gives to Bhuvneshwar’s skillset.
In today’s MI vs RCB clash, even though Bhuvneshwar plays for RCB in IPL 2025, if he features in the XI, this classic face-off will be something to watch. With Wankhede’s batting-friendly pitch, it will be interesting to see whether Hardik can break free or if Bhuvi continues to dominate this duel.
Stay tuned for more expert insights and player face-offs from uccricket.live.
