Mumbai Indians faced a tough defeat against Gujarat Titans at Wankhede Stadium, falling three wickets short in a rain-affected match that went down to the last ball. Hardik Pandya, Mumbai’s captain, lamented the missed opportunities, highlighting the impact of three no-balls—two from himself and one by Deepak Chahar in the final over.
“The catches didn’t really cost us. We were very clinical with that,” Hardik reflected after the match. “Maybe definitely with the no-balls, with my no-ball and even the last (over) no-ball.” He emphasised, “That, in my eyes, indeed it’s a crime, and most often than not it kind of bites you. It definitely did to us, but at the same point of time, really happy with the boys giving their 120% and making sure that we are in the game and not giving up.”
Mumbai’s innings stumbled to 155 for 8, with Will Jacks scoring a notable half-century. They struggled, losing six wickets for just 58 runs in the last 9.3 overs. Yet, in slick, challenging conditions, the bowlers mounted an impressive fightback. Hardik admitted, “It was definitely not a 150 wicket. I think it was a 175 [surface],” and praised his bowlers, saying, “credit to the bowlers, they kept fighting and they kept bowling at the right areas.”
Shubman Gill, who anchored Gujarat’s chase, noted the challenging conditions, likening the match’s start to a Test scenario due to the fast bowlers’ movement. “The game plans were definitely different when we were playing in the powerplay… it felt like a Test match,” he said. The Gujarat innings saw them settle nerves after a challenging powerplay through a 72-run partnership between Gill and Jos Buttler.
Despite the effort, Gujarat faltered briefly, losing four wickets for 13 runs in 15 deliveries, just as they seemed to be gaining momentum. Nonetheless, GT managed to stay ahead when play resumed late into the night.
Reflecting on the fluctuating gameplay, Gill acknowledged, “It’s not easy in a T20 match, if there is such a long break to be able to come back and start the game.” Both teams have much to ponder as they move forward, with Mumbai particularly aware of the lapses that affected their outcome.
