The transfer, which has been confirmed by an official IPL statement, sees Pandya join the Punjab franchise for a fee of Rs 18 crore. This represents an increase from his previous salary of Rs 16.35 crore. As part of the reciprocal agreement, the Punjab Kings have traded their long-standing left-arm fast bowler,
A New Chapter Under Iyer and Ponting
In his first public comments following the trade, Pandya reached out to his new teammates and the Punjab fanbase. Addressing his new captain, Shreyas Iyer, and head coach, Ricky Ponting, the all-rounder stated, "Sat Sri Akal. My Captain. Shreyas. My Coach. Ricky. My team. All of Punjab. I am standing behind you."
This move marks the conclusion of Pandya's second tenure with the Mumbai Indians. His history with the franchise is extensive, having first joined in 2015 and contributing significantly to four title-winning campaigns in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He returned to the Mumbai setup in 2024, where he assumed the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, though the team faced challenges during that period. Across his 162-match IPL career, the versatile cricketer has accumulated 2,955 runs at a strike rate of 146.28, while also claiming 82 wickets.
Arshdeep Singh Departs Punjab After Eight Seasons
The trade also signals a major shift for the Mumbai Indians, who have secured the services of Arshdeep Singh. The fast bowler departs the Punjab Kings after an eight-season stint that began with his debut in 2019. During his time in Punjab, Arshdeep established himself as one of the competition's most effective left-arm seamers.
Arshdeep leaves the franchise as their all-time leading wicket-taker, having secured 111 wickets in 96 appearances. His arrival at Mumbai is expected to bolster their bowling attack as the franchise looks to restructure its squad for the upcoming 2027 campaign. The swap remains one of the most significant developments in the lead-up to the new season, reshaping the core rosters of both participating franchises.
