Hardik Pandya admitted Mumbai Indians were simply outplayed on the night despite posting a daunting 243, conceding that poor execution with the ball and missed chances cost them dearly against a relentless Sunrisers Hyderabad batting unit. “I don't think dew played much of a role.
Just that they played some good shots. We bowled some bad balls. They got off to a brisk start. We didn't pull it back. It was not enough,” Pandya said after the defeat at the Wankhede Stadium. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma set SRH off to a flying start as the pair went after the MI attack from the get-go to anchor the chase.
The pair took their side to 92 for 0 in the powerplay – the highest MI have ever conceded – with Head racing to a 20-ball fifty as the required rate plummeted. MI briefly fought back through AM Ghazanfar and Pandya, who removed Abhishek, Ishan Kishan, and Head in quick succession.
But Heinrich Klaasen ensured there was no way back, smashing a 22-ball half-century and dominating the middle overs to keep SRH firmly on track. Pandya, who picked up a key wicket, reflected on his own outing with mixed feelings. “I enjoyed. I had fun on the ground. 244, I will back my bowlers to defend it.
But it wasn't our day. I enjoyed bowling well, barring those last three balls,” he said. The MI skipper also pointed to dropped chances as a turning point in the contest. “It's been that kind of a season. If you get a couple of chances, you have to grab those. Or else, you will pay the price for it.
But it's fine. All the boys have tried hard,” he added. Despite the defeat, Pandya chose not to single out his bowling unit. “I think this season, we don't have many options. I don't want to put my bowlers under the bus. As an overall unit, we haven't been able to do what the Mumbai Indians stand for.
We have passionate owners. We have passionate support staff. Hopefully, we will figure out something,” he said. Earlier, MI had ridden on a sensational 44-ball century from Ryan Rickelton and a blazing start from Will Jacks to post 243/5, a total Pandya felt should have been enough on most days.
However, the defeat was also reflected in the atmosphere at Wankhede, something Pandya acknowledged candidly. “I think we haven't given them much opportunity to back us. They have been fantastic. They have been loyal. It hurts a bit when they come out and chant the opposition's players' names. But we need to entertain more to get back the love,” he said.