Dale Steyn Predicts Hardik Pandya as Player of the Match in IPL 2026 Clash
Not Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, Dale Steyn picks another Indian star to be player of the match in MI vs RCB IPL 2026 clash
Sportskeeda
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Dale Steyn, former South African cricketer, has selected Hardik Pandya, the captain of Mumbai Indians (MI), as the Player of the Match for the IPL 2026 game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 12. Both teams are looking to recover from recent losses and feature several star players.
- 01Dale Steyn predicts Hardik Pandya as Player of the Match despite his underwhelming performance this season.
- 02RCB opener Phil Salt is expected to bounce back after a poor start to IPL 2026.
- 03Jasprit Bumrah, despite being wicketless, is anticipated to take wickets in the upcoming match.
- 04Both MI and RCB are coming off losses and aim to regain momentum.
- 05RCB has historically performed well against MI, winning five of their last matches.
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In the lead-up to the IPL 2026 clash on April 12, former South African pacer Dale Steyn has backed Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya to be the Player of the Match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Despite averaging only 27 with a strike rate of 158.82 this season, Steyn believes Pandya can shine in this crucial match. He also expressed confidence in RCB opener Phil Salt, who has struggled with just 54 runs at an average of 18 in three matches, to find his form. Additionally, Steyn predicted that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah would finally make an impact after starting the season wicketless. Both MI and RCB are looking to rebound from recent defeats, having lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their last outings. Historically, RCB has had the upper hand against MI, winning five of their last encounters, although they still trail overall with a record of 15-19.
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The performance of both teams in this match could significantly influence their standings in the IPL 2026 season, affecting fans and stakeholders.
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