IPL 2019: Hardik vs Hardus - Pandya and Viljoen involved in mid-pitch staredown - Watch

Hardik Pandya came out to bat after the run out of Ishan Kishan and even before he had faced a ball, Kings XI Punjab paceman Hardus Viljoen decided to have a go at him.

The match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab went down to the wire on Wednesday with the ‘Blue Brigade’ coming up trumps finally as Kieron Pollard led the way with a ballistic 83 off 31 balls.

Hardus Viljoen of KXIP and Hardik Pandya of Mumbai Indians stare at each other during a match at the Wankhede Stadium. (Twitter/IPL)

But in the middle of all the big hitting that took place at the Wankhede Stadium, there was moment in the middle of the pitch that left fans wondering what exactly is happening. Hardik Pandya came out to bat after the run out of Ishan Kishan and even before he had faced a ball, Kings XI Punjab paceman Hardus Viljoen decided to have a go at him.

Well if you thought there were verbal volleys involved then you are wrong. It was a stare down contest between the two in the middle of the pitch before Viljoen went on to bowl the next over.

Viljoen failed to get any wickets in the match while Pandya contributed 19 runs to Mumbai Indians’ cause in the match. Viljoen was unlucky to not have dismissed Pandya off the first delivery he bowled to the all-rounder. The ball went to the boundary after kissing Pandya’s leg-stump, as shown by ultra-edge replays, but the bails didn’t come off.