Hardik Pandya traded to Punjab Kings as Arshdeep Singh joins Mumbai Indians
The swap between the two franchises occurs ahead of the IPL auction scheduled for December 16 in Goa.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya has been traded to Punjab Kings in exchange for pacer Arshdeep Singh, according to reports from Deccan Herald, Telangana Today and Telegraph India. The swap between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings was agreed upon before the IPL auction later this month.
An IPL source confirmed the trade is complete and noted that Pandya is pleased to play under Shreyas Iyer, who is expected to remain the captain of Punjab Kings. The deal requires ratification from the BCCI before official confirmation.
The decision to trade Arshdeep was made by the captain and coach of Mumbai Indians, despite the player's long history and success with Punjab Kings. An IPL source stated that while it was not an easy choice for the owners, the captain and coach proceeded with the move.
The trade ends Pandya's second stint with Mumbai Indians, where he returned as captain in the 2024 season to replace Rohit Sharma. Since Pandya took over leadership, the five-time champions have failed to reach the play-offs in two of the last three seasons.
The BCCI has extended the player retention deadline to November 17. This provides the franchises time to finish formalities before the mini-auction on December 16 in Goa.