Manish Pandey : Age, Height, Family, Career, Stats, IPL 2026, Net worth and More 

Manish Pandey is an Indian Cricket Player who is known as Trailblazer in IPL history for scoring the first ever century by an Indian batsman in IPL History. He was a right-handed top-order batsman, played domestic cricket for Karnataka and currently plays for the Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders, having previously played for teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This is what makes Pandey so famous – that he’s consistent and calm when it matters the most and is trusted to keep an innings going when it needs it the most. He has established himself as one of the most consistent middle order batsmen in his generation, from a record-breaking IPL knockout to his performance in ODIs and T20Is for India. 

In this article will discuss about Manish Pandey : Age, Height, Family, Career, Stats, IPL 2026, Net worth and more 

Who is Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey is an Indian international cricketer who was born on 10 September 1989 in Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. A right-handed middle-order batter, he has been one of Karnataka’s most dependable domestic cricketers and has represented several IPL franchises, including Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, and Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2009, he created history by scoring an unbeaten 114 for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Deccan Chargers, becoming the first Indian batter to score a century in IPL history. Pandey made his international debut for India in 2015 and followed it with a memorable unbeaten 104 against Australia in Sydney in 2016, helping India chase a massive target of 331 runs. A proven performer in big matches, he was also part of India’s 2018 Asia Cup-winning squad and has won two IPL titles with Kolkata Knight Riders.

Manish Pandey Age (As of 2026)

Manish Pandey was born on 10th September 1989, so he is 36 years as of 2026. In September this year he is going to be 37 years old. Though in the mature phase of his cricket career, Pandey is still playing competitive cricket in first class cricket and IPL cricket for Karnataka and Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Manish Pandey Height, Weight and Physical Appearance

Manish Pandey Standing 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) tall and weights around 68 kg, Manish Pandey is of a lean, athletic body which is ideally suited for his elegant stroke play and his prowess in the field. He is one of the fittest and agile players of Indian cricket and has two tattoos on his upper back and left shoulder, one tribal design and another Maori design.

Early Life

Manifesting a successful rise was not a overnight thing for Manish Pandey. Cricket was his home where he played in state-level games away from the limelight for Mysore. He was a smart choice to the 2008 World Cup Under-19 team, which won the title in Malaysia.

The struggle began after that. He had toiled for years in the domestic circuit in Karnataka before going on to break the record of 882 runs with four centuries and five fifties in his 2009-10 Ranji season. Despite getting national recognition overnight as a household name, he didn’t have a seamless path towards it. After playing consistently for almost six years, he finally made his debut for India in 2015, a gradual journey that helped him develop a disciplined and composed batting style.

Family Background

Manish Pandey hails from a military family. His father G.S. Pandey, an officer in the Indian Army, brought him up in a very disciplined environment. It was this upbringing that gave him his razor-thin concentration, mental discipline and the elite physical fitness, all of which were a direct result of his upbringing and became his the hallmark of a cricketing career. His mother, Tara Pandey and sister, former cricketer Anita Pandey (Karnataka) have always been his pillars of support.

Manish Pandey has tied the knot with actress Ashrita Shetty on December 2, 2019. The couple has not publicly announced his/her relationship changes, but they have been the subject of scrutiny in the media. According to reports, the two unfollowed each other on social media, and have deleted all their wedding photos from their social media platforms.

Education Qualification

Manish Pandey attended Kendriya Vidyalaya ASC Centre, Bengaluru for his schooling. Since his father was an officer in the Indian Army, he went to school under the central-government system that’s catered to army families. His family was later transferred to Rajasthan when he was 15 years old, however he stayed back in Bengaluru to finish high school and train at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. Though he has given preference to sports since making a name for himself in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup and within the domestic circuit, he has not shunned academics completely – Manish later went on to graduate from Jain University, Bengaluru.

Manish Pandey Professional Career Highlights

• Manish Pandey started his career in Karnataka domestic cricket. In 2008, he was part of India’s Under-19 team which won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia under the captaincy of Virat Kohli. Later in 2008, Mumbai Indians bought Pandey for the Indian Premier League’s inaugural season.
• Pandey finally got his big break in the year 2009 when he scored 114* off 73 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Deccan Chargers during the last league match of that season’s IPL and became the first Indian to score a century in IPL. 
• He followed it up with a strong 2009–10 Ranji Trophy season where he scored 882 runs at four centuries and five half-centuries to finish as the competition’s leading run-getter. Pandey later went on to play for Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow Super Giants, and Delhi Capitals in IPL before becoming franchise game’s most wanted names due to his Kolkata Knight Riders associations as he won two IPL titles with them in 2014 and 2024. 
• On 14 July and 17 July 2015, Pandey made his ODI and T20I debut respectively for the India national cricket team against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. He scored 71 runs on his ODI debut. In January 2016, Pandey played his first ever international century against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground and did not get out to an incredible 104* as India successfully chased down a massive 331-run target, thus saving India from a whitewash in the series. 

Career Timeline

Manish Pandey Stats

Awards & Achievements 

• Under-19 World Cup Winner Part of India’s title-winning squad in 2008 (Malaysia) under Captain Virat Kohli 
• First Indian IPL Centurion  Scored 114* off 73 balls vs Deccan Chargers in 2009 First Indian cricketer to score a century in IPL history
• Ranji Trophy Top Scorer  Highest run-scorer in the 2009–10 season with 882 runs (4 centuries, 5 fifties)
• Karnataka Premier League (KPL) Title Captained Mysuru Warriors to KPL title in 2014
• IPL Title Winner (KKR) Won title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014
• Man of the Match: 2014 IPL Final Scored 94 off 50 balls vs Kings XI Punjab
• Man of the Match: ODI vs Australia Scored unbeaten century in Sydney in January 2016, helping India dodge series whitewash
• Record T20I Partnership Scored 119-run partnership with Virat Kohli vs Sri Lanka in 2017 Record 3rd-wicket T20I partnership at the time 
• Asia Cup Winner Member of India’s title-winning squad in 2018 
• IPL Title Winner (KKR – second title)  Won 2nd title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 20’24
• IPL Longevity Record One of four players to feature in every IPL season since inaugural season in 2008

Manish Pandey Marital Status

Manish Pandey is married to Ashrita Shetty privately in December 2019. The couple do not have any children yet. Most outlets up to 2025–2026 still report them as being married.

However, there was one debunked report that said they had divorced in March 2025. This has not been reported by any credible media outlet or major site. For the latest confirmation on his marital status, please refer to Pandey’s socials or a trusted news outlet. 

Manish Pandey Wife

Ashrita Shetty is an Indian actress and model. Born on 16 July 1993 in Mumbai to a Tulu speaking family, she did her education in Finance. Ashrita’s stepped into modelling profession through TV commercials and subsequently made her entry into films in 2012. She first came into limelight after winning Times of India’s Clean & Clear Fresh Face contest on state as well as national level in the year 2010.

She debuted in a Tulu film Telikeda Bolli in 2012 and her first Tamil appearance was with actor Siddharth’s film Udhayam NH4 released in 2013. Ashrita shetty has also appeared in Tamil movies such as Oru Kanniyum Moonu Kalavaanikalum, Indrajith and Naan Thaan Siva in addition to many television commercials. 

Interesting Facts 

• Began playing cricket as early as the 3rd standard, way before he knew he wanted to make a career out of cricket. 
• Wanted to be an army officer like his father before dedicating himself to cricket. 
• Was the first Indian batsman to score a century in the IPL. Did so when he was only 19-years-old.  
• Is a big fan of Rahul Dravid and AB de Villiers, he studied their games meticulously. 
• Has a trademark half-sweep-half-flick shot that he created when he was younger. Is one of four players to be in the IPL since its inaugural season in 2008. 
• Has a tribal tattoo on his upper back and a Maori tribal tattoo on his left shoulder. 
• Loves skydiving and adventure sports.  
• Loves eating prawns and chicken biryani.  
• Was a part of India’s victorious 2008 Under-19 World Cup side that included players such as Virat Kohli. 

Social Media Presence

Manish Pandey continues to stay connected with fans across all platforms outside of the boundary line:

• Instagram: Manish has a verified official Instagram account (@manishpandeyinsta) with over 1 million followers. He regularly posts match photos, snippets of training sessions and out-of-ground personal photos.
• X : Manish’s official Twitter account (@im_ manishpandey) has nearly 887K followers. He regularly tweets about cricket and life. 
• Facebook: Manish’s official Facebook page (IMManishPandey) has received more than 3.7 million likes.

Manish Pandey Net Worth(As of 2026)

As of 2026, estimates for Manish Pandey’s net worth vary from ₹12 crore to ₹63 crore (approx. $1.5–7 million). Pandey earns money from his IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (which he retained for ₹75 lakh during the 2025 auction), domestic match fees from tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, previous BCCI central contracts, and sponsorships. 

Disclaimer: Manish Pandey’s net worth is not officially disclosed and cannot be independently verified 

Conclusion

Manish Pandey is a player who made it big with consistency, discipline and match-winning knocks. He went from becoming the first Indian batter to hit an IPL century back in 2009 to playing for India in ODIs and T20Is delivering match-winning knocks on multiple occasions for both domestic and international sides. From steering Karnataka to multiple successes to representing franchises like Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL, Pandey established himself as a middle-order batter that any franchise would want in their side. Pandey continues to play a major role in Indian domestic cricket as well as IPL in 2026, inspiring aspiring cricketers with how he carries himself with professionalism while playing with a lot of heart and keeping his hunger for cricket intact.

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