In yet another close encounter of IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians fell short by 12 runs against Lucknow Super Giants on Friday, despite standout individual performances by Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav. While Pandya picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in T20s and Surya played a blazing knock, the team couldn’t cross the finish line in their 204-run chase.
After the match, Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya didn't mince words as he accepted full responsibility for the defeat. He pointed to lapses in fielding and key strategic errors as the turning points.
"We Gave Away 10-12 Runs Extra" — Hardik Reflects on Fielding Mistakes
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Hardik said,
"When you lose, you are obviously disappointed. To be honest, we gave away 10-12 runs more than we should have in the field. We got weak in the crucial moments and paid the price for it."
Despite his superb bowling figures — 5 wickets for 36 runs — Hardik acknowledged that the effort was not enough to secure a win.
"I have always enjoyed bowling. I don't have too many variations, but I try to read the pitch and make the batsmen commit mistakes. That worked today, but still wasn’t enough."
On Batting Collapse: “We Were Weak as a Unit”
Pandya was also critical of the team's batting performance, saying:
"We were weak as a batting unit. We win as a team and we lose as a team. I take full responsibility for today."
A critical moment in the match was Tilak Varma’s run out, which came when Mumbai desperately needed boundaries. On this, Hardik commented:
"We needed some big hits at that point, but they just didn’t come. Some days, no matter how hard you try, things don't go your way."
Still Hopeful for a Turnaround
Despite the string of losses, Hardik remains optimistic.
"The tournament is long. If we can grab a few wins, we’ll get into rhythm. The idea is simple — play good cricket, make smart decisions, and take calculated risks."
Match Recap: LSG Clinch it in the Final Over
Lucknow, batting first, posted a strong 203/8 on the back of Mitchell Marsh’s 60 and Aiden Markram’s 53. Mumbai’s chase faltered early, but Naman Dheer (46) and Suryakumar Yadav (67 off 43) brought them back into the game. With 22 needed off the final over, MI had a fighting chance, but Avesh Khan held his nerve and restricted them to just 9 runs in the last six balls.
Mumbai finished at 191/8 in 20 overs. Despite Hardik’s all-round brilliance and Surya’s fireworks, MI couldn’t break their losing streak.
Player of the Match went to Digvesh Rathi, who took the crucial wicket of Naman Dheer and gave away just 21 runs in his 4 overs, turning the game in Lucknow's favor.
