In what turned out to be a dramatic IPL 2025 encounter, the Mumbai Indians (MI) found themselves on the losing end of a pulsating match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Wankhede Stadium. A late rain delay and a nerve-wracking one-over contest decided the fate of the match, with GT emerging victorious by three wickets, chasing down the target set by MI with the help of a crucial no-ball. Captain Hardik Pandya, usually composed under pressure, didn’t hold back when addressing MI’s mistakes post-match, specifically calling out the costly no-ball errors that marred his team’s performance.
Mumbai’s captain Hardik Pandya didn’t mince words in the aftermath of their defeat, labeling the no-balls bowled by himself and his teammates as a “crime.” “In my eyes, in T20s, it is a crime,” Pandya stated bluntly, highlighting the importance of discipline in the shortest format. It was evident that the no-balls, especially in a tight encounter like this one, proved to be a game-changer. Pandya’s own errors were compounded by a late no-ball from Deepak Chahar during the final over, allowing GT to capitalize on the mistake and turn the game in their favor.
In a tense scenario, GT needed 15 runs from the last six balls. However, due to MI’s slow over-rate, they were penalized with only four fielders outside the inner circle. With the pressure mounting, Chahar bowled a no-ball after conceding a four and a massive six, which handed GT the upper hand. Hardik reflected on this moment, stating, “No-balls, in my eyes, they bite you, and more often than not, they cost you the game.”
Apart from the no-ball blunders, another pivotal moment came when MI dropped a crucial catch off Gujarat’s captain, Shubman Gill. In the 12th over, Ashwani Kumar bowled a delivery that saw Gill edge the ball, but Tilak Varma couldn’t hold on to the chance despite sprinting to cover the ball. While Hardik maintained that the dropped catch wasn’t as critical as the no-balls, it nonetheless added to the growing sense of missed opportunities.
Despite these lapses, Pandya was quick to acknowledge the team’s efforts, stating, “The boys gave their 120%, ensuring we stayed in the game. We didn’t give up.”
MI’s batting, which has been one of their strengths this season, faltered under pressure. The team struggled to post a competitive total, managing just 155/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Key players like Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan fell early, putting pressure on the middle order. However, Will Jacks (53), Suryakumar Yadav (35), and Corbin Bosch (27) helped MI claw back into the game with some power-packed performances. Despite the odds, MI’s lower order showed resilience, but it was clear that they had fallen short by at least 20-30 runs.
Hardik himself admitted, “Yes, definitely (tough way to go down). We fought well with the total we had. Most of the time, we were out of the game, but we pushed as a group. It was a game of margins.”
On a more positive note, MI’s bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, fought valiantly to keep the game alive. Bumrah, who has been a standout performer for MI, cleaned up GT’s top order by dismissing Shubman Gill and Shahrukh Khan. Boult too contributed with a crucial wicket, pinning Sherfane Rutherford in front of the stumps. Despite these heroic efforts with the ball, MI’s total proved to be insufficient in the face of a GT onslaught.
Pandya conceded that MI’s batting performance fell short of expectations. “It was definitely not a 150-wicket. It was a 175-wicket, and we were short by 20-25 or maybe 30 runs if we had batted well,” he remarked, acknowledging the key areas of improvement for his team.
The rain delays during the match added an extra layer of drama to an already tense contest. While MI may have hoped for the rain to intervene in their favor, it was clear that the constant stoppages made playing conditions difficult. Hardik acknowledged the challenges posed by the weather, noting, “The ball kept getting wetter, and while we’re not sure if it helped or hurt us, it was definitely a tough scenario to play under.”
Despite the interruptions and the challenging conditions, Hardik’s team showed great character, but it wasn’t enough to seal the win.
