Harshal Vikram Patel bats right-handed and bowls right-arm medium pace. His primary playing role is as a bowler. Patel has represented various teams including India, Haryana, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat, Gujarat Cricket Association XI, India A, India B, India Under-19s, India Under-23s, and North Zone. He is currently associated with the Royal Challengers Bangalore team for the 2024 season.

Harshal Patel has played 25 T20Is, taking 29 wickets with an economy rate of 9.18 and a strike rate of 17.3. In First-Class cricket, he has participated in 71 matches, securing 239 wickets at an economy rate of 3.05 and a strike rate of 46.6. In List A matches, Patel has featured in 70 games, claiming 104 wickets with an economy rate of 5.32 and a strike rate of 28.8. Additionally, he has been part of 187 T20 matches, where he has taken 223 wickets at an economy rate of 8.34 and a strike rate of 17.1. In terms of batting, Patel has scored 77 runs in T20Is, 1408 runs in First-Class cricket, 659 runs in List A matches, and 1236 runs in T20s.

Harshal Vikram Patel, known for his right-arm seam bowling and effective slower ball, showcased his talent early on, taking 23 wickets at an impressive average in the 2008-09 Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy. Despite his family's plan to relocate to the USA, his brother Tapan Patel ensured he remained in India to pursue his cricketing career. Harshal made his one-day debut for Gujarat in 2009–10 and was subsequently selected for the 2010 U-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Following this, he secured an IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians, despite being overlooked by the Gujarat selectors for the first-class side. He then moved to Haryana, where he had a stellar debut Ranji Trophy season in 2011–12. His standout performances included consecutive eight-fours in the quarter-final and semi-final, catching the attention of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who signed him for the 2012 Indian Premier League.

Patel debuted immediately against Delhi and then finally rose to fame when he took a five-for in a flat batting track in Bangalore.

In the 2012 IPL auction, Patel was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore. In January 2018, Patel was bought by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). In January 2021, Patel was traded by the Delhi Capitals to the Royal Challengers Bangalore before the fourteenth season of IPL. This turned out to be his breakthrough season as he finished with 32 wickets and won the Purple Cap.

On 9 April 2021, Patel took 5 wicket-haul (5-27) against the Mumbai Indians. Harshal Patel is the first bowler to claim a 5-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in IPL. His 5 wicket haul also became the third-best bowling figure by an uncapped Indian player in the IPL.

On 26 September 2021, Patel became the third bowler to take a hat-trick for Royal Challengers Bangalore, finishing with the figures of 4/17 in 3.1 overs. On 13 October 2021, Harshal was selected among 8 net bowlers for India's national cricket team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. By the end of IPL 2021, Patel ended with 32 wickets, making him the highest Indian wicket-taker in a single season.

In November 2021, he was named in India's T20I squad and made his debut on 19 November 2021, taking two wickets and named player of the match.

In the 2022 IPL auction, Patel was bought by RCB for ₹10.75 crores.

In June 2022, he was named in India's T20I squad against Ireland.

In 2022, in a T20I match against South Africa, he took his then-best figures 4/25. Harshal Patel established himself T20I specialist, and with control over slower variations and dipping Yorkers, he is one names in the Indian T20I team. However, competition on the national side was tough, even though he made the T20 World Cup squad for years 2021 and 2022, but couldn't get game time. He was then dropped from the team due to a lack of consistency and the emergence of new young fast bowlers. Patel picked up 14 wickets in 13 games for Bengaluru in the 2023 Indian T20 League but got standards, it was an average season and he was released from the squad.

Despite initial challenges, Patel persevered and became a pivotal figure for Haryana in various formats. His standout performances, notably as their leading wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2023, where he claimed 19 wickets in 10 matches, including a crucial three-wicket haul in the final, played a significant role in clinching the title. His impressive form sparked another intense bidding war in the auction, with Punjab securing him for  INR 11.75 crores.