Hardik Pandya to Punjab Kings; Mumbai Indians get Arshdeep Singh: Blockbuster IPL deal complete

Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh (Image credit: BCCI/IPL) New Delhi: The trade between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings involving Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh was officially approved on Wednesday, November 11. As part of the process, the two IPL franchises exchanged Expression of Interest (EOI) and the paperwork was submitted to the BCCI on Monday.“As part of marquee player swaps ahead of 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,” an official IPL statement said.“Pandya will join PBKS for a fee of Rs 18 crore, up from his existing fee of Rs 16.35 crore, while Arshdeep will join MI for an existing fee of Rs 18 crore,” the statement further added.Pandya is involved in the IPL business for the second time in three years. Ahead of the 2024 season, Mumbai Indians brought him back from Gujarat Titans in cash and named him captain in place of Rohit Sharma – the man who led the series to five titles.The homecoming should have given MI a long-term leader and a winning all-rounder. In three seasons in charge, MI finished bottom of the table in 2024, made the play-offs in 2025 and slipped into inconsistency again in 2026. Overall, MI have won just 15 out of 39 matches under his leadership since 2024 and lost 24.His win-loss ratio (0.625) for MI is the worst of any captain who has led a team in at least 30 IPL games. It’s a stark contrast to his record with GT — 22 wins and nine losses in 31 games. This ratio of 2.444 ranks as the best in IPL history, just behind RCB’s Rajat Patidar, who has a ratio of 2.500 from 28 matches.In PBKS, Pandya unexpectedly holds the captaincy duties that were firmly established by Shreyas Iyer. Over the past two seasons of the IPL, Iyer has been the leader of the pack, earning him the T20I captaincy and ODI vice-captaincy. Still, Pandya’s experience could add considerable value to PBKS, who are still in contention for their first ever title, having reached two finals in 19 years, in 2014 and 2025.Meanwhile for MI, after IPL 2026, MI’s need for a quality new partner for Jasprit Bumrah was quite clear. Trent Boult has had an incredible season, starting just five matches. Even if MI decide to release Bouult, Arshdeep Singh would give them a ready replacement – another bowler capable of operating in all phases like Bumrah.This will be Arshdeep’s first IPL stint away from Punjab Kings. Since making his debut for them in 2019, the left-arm spinner has taken 111 wickets in 96 matches at an economy of 9.18.