The Pandya brothers need no introduction. In the last couple of years, both Krunal and Hardik have managed to stay in the limelight on- as well as off-field. After the Pathan and Hussey brothers, the cricketing world has again been blessed with two talented siblings. Though Hardik has gained more popularity, Krunal Pandya is shining brighter than ever.
Let’s explore his interesting life story…
Details | |
Full Name | Krunal Himanshu Pandya |
Age | 28 (as of 2020) |
Gender | Male |
Sport Category | Cricket |
Date of Birth | 24 March 1991 |
Hometown | Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
Height | 1.89 m |
Weight | 65 kg |
Coach | Kiran More and Jitender Singh |
Spouse | Pankhuri Sharma |
Parent | Himanshu and Nalini Pandya |
T 20 Debut | 4 November 2018 v West Indies |
Batting Style | Left-handed |
Bowling Style | Slow left-arm orthodox |
Teams Played for | India, Baroda, Mumbai Indians |
IPL Debut | April 2016 v Gujarat Lions |
Krunal Pandya Biography
Krunal Pandya was born to Himanshu and Nalini Pandya on 24 March 1991. The family was based in Ahmedabad where Kiran More and Jitender Singh coached Krunal Pandya in the early days of his career.
After the Pandya family moved to Baroda, Krunal started training at the Kiran More Cricket Academy. Since money was tight, Kiran More didn’t even take fees initially from him. It was truly a dream come true for Krunal, who was always fascinated with cricket.
Krunal witnessed some difficult times during this period. Just when his career was about to start, Krunal had a shoulder injury. As a result, he was out of action for almost a year.
Krunal Pandya Career
Domestic Career
Krunal Pandya’s domestic career began with Ranji Trophy tournament season 2016-17. By the very next tournament, Vijay Hazare Trophy 2016-17, he was the leading wicket-taker for Baroda.
In the series, he scored 366 runs in 8 matches. His highest score was 78 runs. Krunal also took 11 wickets in 8 matches. In 2017, he was also a part of the winning Indian team in a tri-series with South Africa and Afghanistan A.
Continuing his stellar performance, Pandya shone in the 2018-19 season of Vijay Hazare Trophy as well. Hence, he was named the captain for Baroda in the following season.
International Career
Krunal made his international debut by featuring in India’s T20I squad against West Indies and Australia.
He took one wicket and made 21 runs off 9 balls in his debut match. He won Player of the Match award for his bowling performance against Australia in the third match.
“Yes, Krunal did well and batted as per the situation (of the game), which is a good thing. I am very satisfied and there is always score of improvement. Finishing a match has been there in my coaching philosophy,” Jitendra Singh, his coach told Sportstar after Krunal’s first match.
In all, Krunal has played
Krunal Pandya IPL
Right from his debut in 2016, Krunal has played for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. He made his debut at the home ground, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai against Gujarat Lions. His impressive debut earned him a place in the Cricinfo and Cricbuzz IPL XI.
His mix of effective spin-bowling and hard-hitting at the tail end has made her a valuable asset for Mumbai Indians.
Sr. Pandya’s most memorable knock came in the 2017 IPL finals against Rising Pune SuperGiants. Asked to bat first, Mumbai Indians were left stuttering at 79/7 in 14 overs.
With the team staring at a certain defeat, Krunal Pandya rose to the occasion and hit a timely knock of 47 from 38 balls (3 fours and 2 sixes) to take the team to the total of 129/8.
Mumbai would just about manage to defend the total by a paltry one run to win their third-ever title. Krunal was rightfully adjudged the ‘Man of the Match’.
Over the four season’s time, Krunal has amassed 40 wickets and 891 runs.
Krunal Pandya Stats
Batting and fielding averages
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | ||
| T20Is | 18 | 9 | 4 | 121 | 26* | 24.20 | 92 | 131.52 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 7 | |
| First-class | 3 | 5 | 0 | 294 | 160 | 58.80 | 434 | 67.74 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 1 | |
| List A | 56 | 53 | 7 | 1449 | 85 | 31.50 | 1778 | 81.49 | 0 | 8 | 140 | 31 | 21 | |
| T20s | 102 | 79 | 22 | 1338 | 86 | 23.47 | 966 | 138.50 | 0 | 2 | 115 | 54 | 35 |
Bowling averages
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | ||
| T20Is | 18 | 18 | 398 | 538 | 14 | 4/36 | 4/36 | 38.42 | 8.11 | 28.4 | 1 | 0 | |
| First-class | 3 | 5 | 285 | 133 | 8 | 4/40 | 6/59 | 16.62 | 2.80 | 35.6 | 1 | 0 | |
| List A | 56 | 54 | 2496 | 2024 | 70 | 6/41 | 6/41 | 28.91 | 4.86 | 35.6 | 3 | 2 | |
| T20s | 102 | 99 | 1862 | 2277 | 79 | 4/36 | 4/36 | 28.82 | 7.33 | 23.5 | 1 | 0 |
IPL Stats
| Batting and Fielding | Mat | No | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | CT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 55 | 14 | 891 | 86 | 26.20 | 610 | 146.06 | 0 | 1 | 86 | 35 | 18 | |
| 2019 | 16 | 4 | 183 | 42 | 16.63 | 150 | 122.00 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 5 | |
| 2018 | 14 | 3 | 228 | 41* | 22.80 | 157 | 145.22 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 10 | 9 | |
| 2017 | 13 | 4 | 243 | 47 | 34.71 | 179 | 135.75 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2016 | 12 | 3 | 237 | 86 | 39.50 | 124 | 191.12 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 2 |
| Bowling | Mat | Balls | Runs | WKTS | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 55 | 944 | 1,128 | 40 | 3/14 | 28.20 | 7.16 | 23.60 | ||
| 2019 | 16 | 276 | 335 | 12 | 3/34 | 27.91 | 7.28 | 23.00 | ||
| 2018 | 14 | 241 | 284 | 12 | 3/28 | 23.66 | 7.07 | 20.08 | ||
| 2017 | 13 | 240 | 273 | 10 | 3/14 | 27.30 | 6.82 | 24.00 | ||
| 2016 | 12 | 187 | 236 | 6 | 2/15 | 39.33 | 7.57 | 31.16 |
Source: www.iplt20.com
Unknown Facts
- Krunal’s favourite cricketers include Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, and Brett Lee.
- He is proud of his roots and prefers Gujarati food over anything else.
- His favourite actor is John Abraham and actress, Yami Gautam.
- Krunal is a movie buff and loves the movie Four Pillars of Basement.
Krunal Pandya Net worth
Krunal’s IPL contract has significantly boosted his net worth. His annual income was estimated at US$ 1.5 Mn or INR 9.6 Crores in 2018. Krunal Pandya’s overall net worth is approximately US$ 2 Mn or INR 12.8 Crores. His IPL valuation has significantly shot up in the last four years.
2016: Mumbai Indians: INR 2cr
2017: Mumbai Indians: INR 2cr
2018: Mumbai Indians: INR 8.8cr
2019: Mumbai Indians: INR 8.8cr
Krunal Pandya Family
Krunal’s father Himanshu Pandya is a businessman. Though initially based in Surat, the family shifted to Baroda to support Krunal and Hardik’s cricketer career. Hardik is Krunal’s younger brother and well-known Indian cricketer. In fact, Hardik made his IPL debut before his elder brother. Now both brothers represent Mumbai Indians. Both The duo is extremely close and love sharing tips on and off the field.
“Yes, we often talk. I mean we converse more on the mental aspect of the game, how to assess situations and play accordingly. Obviously, we both discuss cricket which has definitely helped me,” Krunal told FirstPost.
Krunal Pandya Wife
Krunal Pandya is married to long-time sweetheart Pankhuri Sharma. Ahmedabad-born Pankhuri was a professional model. The duo first met through a common friend in Mumbai in early 2016. After dating for almost a year, Krunal finally proposed to Pankhuri after the epic 2017 IPL final where he was awarded the Man of the Match title.
Interestingly, the cricketer proposed with a cake, not a ring. “I thought he would hit me with cake, so I didn’t read what was written on it!” Pankhuri revealed in an interview.
The duo eventually tied the knot on 27th December 2017.
Few months after their marriage, a Youtube channel The Wedding Story released a video titled ‘Bowled Over Beauty’ chronicling Krunal Pandya and Pankhuri Sharma’s journey before the marriage.
Social Media
With these two superstars in training today 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Hv2m1OOAkz
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) November 28, 2019
The best part about my wife is – nothing scares her 🙈😘 pic.twitter.com/JSMnmMucNQ
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) November 19, 2019
It's the season to shine 💫 #DiwaliIsHere pic.twitter.com/GkRYRtmLQv
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) October 23, 2019
Miles away, but always close to my heart! ❤ I hope the moon shows up early in London.
Thank you for always being on my side. You are the best thing that ever happened to me! #HappyKarvaChauth pic.twitter.com/ilZnkF743r
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) October 17, 2019
Getting into the groove 👊👀 pic.twitter.com/2gbd35GWro
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) September 10, 2019
