The Mumbai Indians skipper, Hardik Pandya, came under pressure again for the choices he made on the field during the Indian Premier League matchup with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
MI lost by 31 runs in the last innings as their momentum slowed down after needing to chase a record 278 runs to win. Hardik had to handle criticism from every angle as the captain.
The strike rates for openers Rohit Sharma (26), and Ishan (34), were 216.67 and 261.54, respectively. In the meantime, Tilak Varma (64), at number four, and Naman Dhir (30), at number three, scored 214.29 and 188.24, respectively.
Tim David (42*) and Romario Shepherd (15*) maintained their undefeated records with respective strike rates of 250.00 and 190.91. Pathan thought that Pandya shouldn’t be batting at a strike rate of 120 if his team’s strike rate is 200, according to X. He wrote, “If the whole team is playing with the strike of 200, Captain can’t bat with the batting strike rate of 120.”
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan criticised Hardik and pointed out a few places where he believed the MI skipper failed. Pathan also criticised Hardik for his strike rate at bat and said that he did not use Jasprit Bumrah to his full potential. Hardik Pandya faced 20 deliveries while chasing a target of 278 runs, scoring 24 runs.
Meanwhile, Hardik once again opted for Jasprit Bumrah as the first bowling change during the powerplay, drawing criticism from multiple sources as the opposition batsman had already settled in by then.
In the opening innings, SRH amassed a solid total of 277/3 in 20 overs, showcasing a collective batting display. Travis Head, the opener, led the charge with a blistering 62 off 24 balls, comprising nine fours and three sixes. Abhishek Sharma, batting at number three, contributed a quickfire 63 off 23 deliveries, featuring three fours and seven sixes. Heinrich Klaasen concluded the innings in style with an unbeaten 80 off 34 balls, striking four fours and seven sixes. Additionally, former SRH captain Aiden Markram remained not out with a solid 42.
When given the task to bat first, SRH recorded the greatest score in Indian Premier League history—277/3. They outperformed Pune Warriors India in 2013 by surpassing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 263/5.
MI is under pressure following their opening two losses of the season. Pathan’s critique of Hardik Pandya’s batting strategy draws attention to a possible area for development. To guarantee a better performance in their forthcoming games, the team management will need to come up with some answers.
In response, the Mumbai Indians led the chase until the eighteenth over, at which point they conceded 246/5 in 20 overs, losing their second straight game in the current edition. Additionally, it was the first game in which 500 runs were scored.
