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In the 51st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Mumbai Indians (MI) endured a 24-run loss against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), marking their fourth consecutive defeat in the season. This defeat complicated MI’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs. The five-time IPL champions have only secured 3 wins out of 11 matches so far. To secure a playoff berth, they must rely on favourable outcomes from other matches and win all their remaining fixtures in the tournament.
The team’s lacklustre performance under Hardik Pandya‘s leadership has drawn criticism, particularly from Irfan Pathan, regarding both the team’s captaincy and Pandya’s individual form. Irfan had previously voiced concerns about Pandya’s leadership, and after MI’s loss to KKR at the Wankhede Stadium, Irfan renewed his criticism of Pandya.
Irfan Pathan cites flaws in Hardik Pandya’s captaincy
During a critical juncture in the match against MI, KKR found themselves at 57 for 5. At this point, Pandya opted to bowl two consecutive overs from Naman Dhir, allowing KKR batters Venkatesh Iyer and Manish Pandey to settle at the crease. This decision didn’t sit well with Irfan, prompting him to take to social media to voice his opinion. Irfan believed that Pandya’s choice enabled Iyer and Pandey to form a partnership by not deploying one of his key bowlers when KKR were vulnerable. Expressing his concerns, Irfan remarked that such decisions raise doubts about the captaincy. Irfan suggested that if Pandya had utilized his primary bowlers during that crucial phase, KKR would have been restricted to a total of just 150 runs in the match.
“Mumbai Indians’ story ends here. This team was so good on paper, but it wasn’t managed. The questions that were raised on Hardik Pandya’s captaincy were absolutely right. When you’ve restricted KKR to 57/5, you didn’t have to give Naman Dhir three successive overs. You had to bring your main bowlers, and you gave your sixth bowler three overs. Manish Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer posted a strong partnership. You could’ve bowled them out on 150 instead you let them score 170,” Irfan said.
Irfan highlights the lack of unity in MI team
Talking about the current scenario of the MI camp, the former Indian cricketer said that captaincy plays a significant role in the game. He noted that MI appear lacking in unity as a team, and the management should take this into account. According to him, the players should show respect and acceptance towards the captain, which wasn’t evident on the field. Irfan emphasized the need for improvement in this regard.
“Captaincy has a big impact in the game. Mumbai Indians don’t look like a united team, and management needs to consider this. Players need to respect and accept the captain, and we didn’t see that on-field. They have to improve in that aspect,” Irfan stated.
Irfan Pathan exposes Hardik Pandya Captaincy 🗣️-
"Mumbai Indians solid team on paper not managed well by their captain again. This Complete team failure on this loss." pic.twitter.com/oIdW97Chao
— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) May 3, 2024
Also READ: IPL 2024 Purple Cap list after MI vs KKR clash in Wankhede
Wankhede Stadium gets filled with Rohit Sharma chants
Following MI’s inability to chase a below-par target of 170 runs, fans expressed frustration with their team’s loss and began to ridicule Pandya for his captaincy. Within minutes, the atmosphere filled with cheers for Rohit Sharma‘s name, signalling the fans’ clamour to change MI’s captaincy and reinstate Rohit. This sentiment was echoed at almost every venue where MI played.
