Hardik Pandya backs bowlers, admits “It wasn’t our day” as Mumbai Indians fall short

Getting another blow to their already troubled season, Mumbai Indians suffered a stunning defeat despite posting a massive 243, with skipper Hardik Pandya admitting his side was simply outplayed by a relentless Sunrisers Hyderabad unit at the Wankhede Stadium.

“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 loss.

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SRH’s chase was built on a blazing start from Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, who tore into the MI attack from the outset. The duo powered their side to 92/0 in the powerplay, the highest ever conceded by MI, with Head bringing up a 20-ball half-century as the chase quickly tilted in SRH’s favour.

Mumbai did find a brief opening as AM Ghazanfar and Pandya struck in quick succession, removing Abhishek, Ishan Kishan and Head to momentarily swing momentum back.

But Heinrich Klaasen shut the door firmly, smashing a 22-ball fifty and dominating the middle overs to ensure there was no way back for the hosts.

Reflecting on his own performance, Pandya had mixed emotions. “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 crucial turning point. “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 disappointing result, Pandya refrained from blaming his bowlers. “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 rode on a sensational 44-ball century from Ryan Rickelton and a fiery start from Will Jacks to post 243/5, a total that would have been enough on most days.

However, the mood at the Wankhede reflected the team’s struggles, 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.