For the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians, there has been no reprieve at all in the recent weeks of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), and Tuesday’s (30 April) match against Lucknow Super Giants was not an exception either. The five-time champions suffered a four-wicket defeat in Lucknow, which also happened to be their third consecutive loss.
A major reason behind Mumbai’s defeat was their batting collapse, which was triggered by an underwhelming display from the top order. The top five batters combined to score only 53 runs, as Mumbai could only get to a meek total of 144 runs.
Ruing top-order failure after the defeat, skipper Pandya stated:
Losing early wickets in the powerplay is tough to recover from, we couldn’t do that today. Where we needed the most, we could not do well. You have to see the ball and hit. The wicket was good, the ball was there to be hit and we just missed. It has been that sort of season for us so far.Hardik Pandya
Having now lost seven of their first ten matches, Mumbai’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs look slim, with only mathematical permutations keeping them alive in the hunt. Pandya, however, stated that despite the result, there was a lot to learn from the match against Lucknow.
I have always believed that whenever you take to the field, sometimes you will be down, sometimes you will be up, and you have to give it your all. It looks difficult but there are a lot of things you can learn from this game.Hardik Pandya
Nehal Wadhera Will Play for India: Hardik Pandya
Mumbai would not have even made it to 144, had it not been for the efforts of Nehal Wadhera, who scored a 41-ball 46 under difficult circumstances.
On being asked about the 23-year-old’s innings, Pandya stated:
He has been fantastic, the way he batted against Rajasthan and tonight. He did fantastic last year as well. It was because of the team combination that he couldn't get opportunities earlier. Looking at his talent, he will play for a lot of years for Mumbai Indians and for India eventually.Hardik Pandya
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)