IPL 2026: Cricket-veteran Manish Pandey adding value to Kolkata's IPL campaign, says Watson

Manish Pandey helped Kolkata Knight Riders to a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday, with assistant coach Shane Watson saying the performance underlined the 36-year-old's value to the side.

Chasing 147, Kolkata found themselves in a difficult spot at 54-3 before Pandey's knock of ‌45 from ⁠33 balls ⁠brought some much-needed stability and set up a victory which kept his side's ​playoff hopes alive.

"This is the best I've seen him bat over the last few ​years," Watson told reporters.


"He adds so much value. He's obviously a super experienced guy. He's an amazing fielder. He adds so much ​energy to our group, whether it's off ⁠the field, ‌on the field, around the group.

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"Those types of ​people, you give ​anything to be able to have them in ⁠your squad, let alone then out in the middle ​when we're chasing a challenging total on that ​pitch."

Pandey is one of just three players, along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to have played in every season of the IPL since it began in 2008.

"I'm not sure how he's doing it," the former Australia all-rounder added.

"I know when I was at ‌his age, I certainly was moving nothing like he's moving in the field. He's still incredibly fit.

"It seems ​the way ​he's looking after himself, ⁠his preparation coming into this tournament as well, shows that he's still got a number of years of really good cricket in front ​of him."

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Kolkata, who are sixth in the standings, play Delhi Capitals in their final league-stage game on Sunday.

The three-times IPL champions have an outside shot of qualifying for the play-offs, but need to beat Delhi and have other results go in their favour.