Published: Mar 30, 2025, 01:04 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 30, 2025, 01:06 PM (IST)
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was excellent with the ball, but he struggled with the bat which resulted in his team’s consecutive loss. He managed to score only 11 runs off 16 balls before being dismissed by a slower delivery from Kagiso Rabada on the 17th ball.
Hardik’s performance was on par with that of former captain Rohit Sharma, as the franchise still seeks its first win of the season. Following the top order’s failure, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav stepped up to maintain the team’s hunt for a target of 197. It was important for Hardik to capitalize on the foundation laid by Tilak and Surya, but he struggled to understand the nature of the pitch before being dismissed by Rabada.
After the end of the match Hardik Pandya admitted that his team struggled to counter the slower pace of Gujarat Titans’ (GT)
“Tough to put it together, I think in batting and bowling we were 15-20 runs short in both places. We were not professionals in the field, we made basic errors, and that cost us 20-25 runs and in a T20 game, that is quite a lot. They (GT openers) batted brilliantly.” Pandya said in the post match presentation
“They were quite exceptional, they did not take many chances, they did the right stuff, and they were able to get runs without playing many risky shots. We have been doing catch-up since then. At the moment, we all need to take responsibility; it is still the early stages.” Pandya added
“Batters have to come to the party, hopefully, they will do that soon. On this wicket, they (slower deliveries) were the toughest balls, some were shooting, and some were bouncing, as batters it becomes difficult. They (GT bowlers) did what I did with the ball.” Pandya said.
Mumbai Indians will play their next game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. in Wankhede Stadium.
