Mumbai: In one of the biggest player trades in Indian Premier League (IPL) history, former Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya will move to Punjab Kings (PBKS), while India’s leading T20I wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh will join the five-time champions.
According to an IPL statement, the marquee trade has taken place ahead of the TATA IPL 2027 season.
“In a marquee player trade ahead of the TATA IPL 2027, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya will move to Punjab Kings (PBKS), while Arshdeep Singh, India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals, will join the five-time champions,” the statement said.
Hardik will join PBKS for Rs 18 crore, an increase from his existing fee of Rs 16.35 crore. Meanwhile, Arshdeep will move to MI at his existing fee of Rs 18 crore.
Pandya’s trade brings an end to his second stint with MI, a franchise with which he won four IPL titles. Having first joined Mumbai in 2015, he developed into one of the league’s most impactful all-rounders, contributing with both bat and ball during the team’s title-winning campaigns in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020.
After seven seasons with Mumbai, Pandya moved to Gujarat Titans (GT) ahead of IPL 2022. He made an immediate impact as captain, leading the franchise to the title in its debut season. GT also reached the final in 2023 before Pandya returned to MI in 2024 and took over the captaincy.
Across 162 IPL matches, Pandya has scored 2,955 runs at a strike rate of 146.28 and claimed 82 wickets, underlining his value as a proven match-winner.
However, his second stint with MI, spanning three seasons, was relatively underwhelming. He scored 647 runs in 39 matches and 35 innings at an average of 21.53 and a strike rate of 147.82, with a highest score of 48 not out. He also claimed 29 wickets at an average of over 34, including a five-wicket haul.
Under Pandya’s captaincy, MI reached the playoffs in the 2025 season but finished ninth in the 2024 and 2026 seasons.
Meanwhile, Arshdeep moves to MI after eight seasons with PBKS, the franchise where he made his IPL debut in 2019 and established himself as one of the competition’s leading left-arm fast bowlers.
With 111 wickets in 96 IPL matches, Arshdeep is PBKS’ all-time leading wicket-taker.
His ability to take early wickets with the new ball and deliver under pressure in the death overs has made him a key part of Punjab’s bowling attack. He claimed 21 wickets in IPL 2025 and followed it up with 14 wickets in the 2026 season.
His left-arm pace and ability to bowl across different phases of an innings are expected to add considerable depth to Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack.
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