Former Australia cricketer Shane Watson urges Hardik Pandya to give his best in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) season-ending home match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Watson sounded the T20 World Cup siren to get Hardik laced up and ready to take on the competition.

In Friday's final match of the season, May 17, MI will host LSG at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. With just 4 wins and 9 defeats in 13 matches, the Hardik-led franchise had a poor performance in IPL 2024. Hardik has managed just 200 runs at 18.18 and scalped 11 wickets at an economy of 10.59. They also made history by becoming the first team eliminated from playoff contention.

Speaking on Jio Cinema, Watson said, "They (MI) have got so much to play for. They have been very disappointing this season. With the calibre of players that they have got in their unit, in front of their home crowd, they would want to put up a big show for their home fans and me."

"I have got this feeling that Hardik Pandya has really got to step up in last game and really exert his dominance. The T20 World Cup is not too far away, and he really has to hit his straps, especially with the bat,” he said.

After suffering a knee injury during last year's home ODI World Cup, Hardik made a triumphant return to competitive cricket in the 2024 IPL. In spite of his lacklustre performance, he was re-inducted into India's Twenty20 World Cup squad and will be playing in the West Indies and the United States beginning in June.

Watson added, "He (Hardik) has been most disappointing with the bat, knowing how good he was with GT, coming in at No. 4. The impact that he provided with the bat, he was coming in with plenty of runs to score and steady the ship. So, for me Hardik Pandya has to be the man to step up."