New Delhi, Hardik Pandya tweeted an image on Friday with a caption that said: “Ready for the battle royal.” The post comes on a day when his IPL side Mumbai Indians will know who they will face in the final which is scheduled to be played on Sunday.
MI stunned a rampant Chennai Super Kings in the first Qualifier on Tuesday away from home. They won the match by six wickets and thus gained a direct entry into the final. CSK will now face Delhi Capitals on Friday and the winner will be facing MI on Sunday. The Capitals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by two wickets in the Eliminator on Wednesday.
Pandya has been an influential figure this campaign for MI, who are looking to win a record fourth title. He has scored 393 runs, most of which came in the death overs that led MI to win the match or set a big total. He has also taken 14 wickets.
Mumbai Indians were third on the league table going into their last group game of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders, who needed to win that match to qualify for the Eliminator. But MI ended up romping to a 9-wicket win. Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah and Pandya took a combined seven wickets as MI restricted KKR to 133. Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav then ensured that Mumbai chased the target down without much sweat.