Report: Hardik Pandya Set for Punjab Kings, Arshdeep to Mumbai

Hardik Pandya is set to join Punjab Kings in exchange for Arshdeep Singh, who would move to Mumbai Indians, according to a PTI report ahead of the IPL mini-auction. The proposed deal has been agreed by the two franchises but still requires ratification from the BCCI before it can be officially confirmed.

An IPL source told PTI that the trade has been completed, with Pandya heading to Punjab Kings and Arshdeep joining Mumbai Indians. The source also said Pandya is happy to play under Shreyas Iyer, who is expected to remain Punjab Kings captain.

If ratified, the move would end Pandya’s second spell with Mumbai Indians. He returned to the franchise for the 2024 season as captain, replacing long-serving skipper Rohit Sharma. Mumbai Indians did not qualify for the play-offs twice in the three seasons since Pandya took over the leadership.

Reported swap links two established IPL players

The reported transaction would see Punjab Kings acquire Pandya’s all-round capabilities while Mumbai Indians bring in left-arm pacer Arshdeep, who has had a lengthy association with Punjab. The source said the decision to trade Pandya for Arshdeep was made by Punjab Kings’ captain and coach.

Arshdeep’s departure would be a significant call for Punjab Kings given his history with the franchise. His IPL performances helped him break into the international setup, and the report describes him as India’s leading wicket-taker in the shortest format.

The source acknowledged that it was not an easy decision for Punjab Kings’ owners to let Arshdeep leave after his rise with the team. However, the captain and coach opted to proceed with the exchange, according to the report.

Pandya, meanwhile, would arrive at Punjab Kings as a player rather than captain. With Iyer continuing in the leadership role, Punjab are reportedly looking to use Pandya in their all-round department. The report noted that Pandya has not played competitive cricket since the previous IPL season because of multiple injury setbacks.

Iyer has led Punjab Kings for the past two seasons. Under his captaincy, the franchise reached its first IPL final since 2014 last year. Punjab also made a strong start to the 2026 campaign before a dramatic second-half dip cost the team a play-off place.

BCCI approval remains the key next step

Despite the report that the franchises have completed the trade, BCCI ratification remains necessary before the swap becomes official. That procedural step is important because it means neither player’s move has been formally confirmed by the governing body in the information available.

The timing comes after the BCCI extended the player-retention deadline to November 17, giving franchises more time to complete required formalities before the mini-auction. The auction is scheduled to be held in Goa on December 16.

The report also stated that Punjab Kings could release Marcus Stoinis and Nehal Wadhera before the mini-auction. For now, though, the central development is the proposed Pandya-Arshdeep exchange: a deal that would place Pandya under Iyer at Punjab Kings and send Arshdeep to five-time champions Mumbai Indians, subject to final BCCI approval.