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In the thrilling Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025, Punjab Kings (PBKS) edged out Mumbai Indians (MI). This defeat ended the season for the five-time champions. Following the loss, there were questions raised about Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. Meanwhile, former South African great AB de Villiers came forward to back Hardik, who has been leading MI with resilience this season. Despite the loss, de Villiers praised Hardik’s leadership and fighting spirit, emphasizing that setbacks are part of the game and praising the team’s overall effort throughout the tournament.
AB de Villiers stands by Hardik Pandya amid criticism
De Villiers expressed support for Hardik, acknowledging the challenges and pressure that comes up with captaincy. He disagreed with the criticism aimed at Hardik, noting that Mumbai had posted a decent total but were simply outplayed by quality batting from Punjab, particularly by Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis. De Villiers emphasized that no team is perfect, and sometimes opponents just play better cricket on the day.
Talking to JioHotstar De Villiers said, “I feel for Hardik and the questions he had to face afterwards. It’s tough being a captain there’s a lot of emotion involved. I’ve been there, and it’s never easy to admit things didn’t go as planned. But I don’t agree with the criticism. They had a par score with the bat and were simply outplayed while bowling. Of course, you want to bowl 120 perfect yorkers, but no team is perfect. Shreyas Iyer, and to some extent Josh Inglis, made the difference. They were outplayed by quality cricket, that’s the beauty of the game.”
Mumbai Indians’ strong comeback in IPL 2025
Mumbai had a tough outing last season, finishing at the bottom of the points table with only four wins. However in 2025, they made a strong comeback. Despite a challenging start, losing four of their first five matches, the team showed great resilience and bounced back impressively. MI then went on a winning streak, securing six consecutive victories that showcased their fighting spirit. Although they fell short in Qualifier 2, their progress this season under Hardik’s captaincy was up to the mark.
