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Hardik Pandya’s 'bizarre' 17-ball 11 sinks MI’s chase as fans rage at ‘atrocious’ knock: ‘Someone needs to explain this’
Hardik Pandya endured a tough outing with the bat in MI's 197-run chase against Gujarat Titans, scoring just 11 off 17 deliveries.
Mumbai Indians faced a second successive defeat in IPL 2025 during their match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Chasing 197, they needed aggression from the outset, especially from their power-hitters; however, the side continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, and what caught everyone off guard was Hardik Pandya’s unusually slow innings, which lacked the urgency the situation demanded.
The MI skipper walked in with 89 required off seven overs but failed to inject any momentum, contributing to the team's eventual 36-run defeat.
Hardik's return to Ahmedabad as an opposition captain was already a storyline, but his batting on the night became an even bigger talking point. When he arrived at the crease, MI needed someone to take control. Suryakumar Yadav, fresh off a flurry of attacking strokes, was the key man, but Hardik was expected to provide the late-innings flourish that has long been his trademark.
Instead, he seemed unusually subdued, managing just 11 off 17 deliveries before falling to Kagiso Rabada’s slower ball.
While MI had already lost early wickets – including Rohit Sharma (8) and Ryan Rickelton (6) to Mohammed Siraj – Tilak Varma and Suryakumar had revived the chase with a 62-run stand. With momentum on their side, the platform was set for Hardik to unleash his finishing prowess. Yet, his innings felt out of sync with the match’s demands.
The fans were also left baffled by Hardik's knock against GT.
Prasidh's fiery spell
Hardik Pandya's struggles coincided with Prasidh Krishna’s match-defining spell. Introduced late, Prasidh’s impact was immediate – he removed Tilak Varma with a deceptive slower ball before rattling Suryakumar with a fiery short-pitched delivery that struck him on the helmet. By the time Suryakumar was dismissed, MI were staring at a big defeat, and Hardik was still searching for fluency.
Even when the equation came down to 79 required off the last five overs, MI’s chase never truly ignited. Pandya’s inability to find the boundary forced other batters to take undue risks, ultimately leading to a tame surrender.
His innings stood in stark contrast to the aggressive knocks played by Gujarat’s Sai Sudharsan (63 off 41) and Jos Buttler (39 off 24), both of whom played with purpose and intent.
