Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was elated as his team ended a 13-year-old winless streak in season-openers in the Indian Premier League and hailed his predecessor Rohit Sharma for his majestic knock that set their six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.
Rohit Sharma hammered a fabulous 78 and shared a 148-run partnership with Ryan Rickelton (81) as the Mumbai Indians scored 224/4 in 19.2 overs to overhaul KKR's score of 220/4 built on half-centuries by Ajinkya Rahane (67) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (51) and win their season-opener for the first time since 2012.
"Obviously, it's been a long wait [to win the season opener]. Every time we wanted to start the season on a high note. The whole group is very glad we were able to do it," Pandya said in the post-match presentation at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Pandya admitted that chasing big totals is now easier in T20s and said modern cricket, batting-friendly wickets play a key role in that. He gave credit to his bowlers for not letting KKR reach 240 or 250. "Credit to the bowlers, not letting KKR fly away to 240s or 250s.
Those become tough targets, but 220 is always chaseable," he said. Pandya was effusive in praise for Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton for their brilliant half-centuries that made the victory possible. "Rohit and Rickelton were outstanding. Ryan has done very well for us last year. And Quinny (Quinton de Kock) is a top man.
He understood that we are backing the man and having continuity. Glad it worked. He hailed his former India and Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma for making batting look easy at this age. "Whenever I see Ro play some shots, it opens everyone's mouth.
Nothing short of excellent, nothing short of outstanding," he said. Pandya said he has backed Shardul Thakur at the franchise, and he has repaid his faith in the first match. Thakur claimed 3-39 to apply the brakes on the KKR innings, which proved decisive in the end. "I told him, enough hopping franchises. You have to be here for the rest of your career. The way he outsmarts batters, the way he bowls, brilliant," said Pandya.