Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians failed to win their first match of Indian Premier League 2024 against Gujarat Titans. After coming back as the MI captain, Hardik Pandya failed to inspire his team to a win, failing both with bat and ball, and possibly as a captain as well. Hardik Pandya was criticized for starting with the ball instead of Jasprit Bumrah and then coming in too late in MI’s chase of 169 runs on Sunday, 24 March in Ahmedabad. The slump continued as Hardik Pandya’s MI lost their second match versus SunRisers Hyderabad.
Hardik Pandya ,the MI captain has not had a smooth start to his captaincy on his comeback to the franchise that made him a household name in the Indian cricketing scene. Hardik Pandya was asked about a ‘captaincy clause’ in his contract ahead of the season, a question that he ignored. Hardik Pandya too was criticized by fans on social media as well for the treatment of Rohit Sharma during the match.
An El Classico between Chennai and Mumbai has MS Dhoni plundering 20 runs from 4 balls of sensational Hardik Pandya over.
MS Dhoni came, MS Dhoni saw, and MS Dhoni conquered. That is exactly how it all panned out at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night during the blockbuster clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, as the CSK legend put out an incredible display of power-hitting in his four-ball stay at the crease. Dhoni arrived in the final over of CSK’s first innings, facing his former India teammate Hardik Pandya; what followed was a carnage over MI.
Dhoni smashed three colossal sixes, setting the clocks back as he ended with 20 runs in just four deliveries, taking the Super Kings to a towering total of 206/4 in Mumbai. In a stunning display, Dhoni began his innings with a maximum, winning the crowd over at the Wankhede Stadium – the same venue where his World Cup-winning six against Sri Lanka in 2011 remains immortalized. Standing tall against a slower delivery around off from Hardik Pandya , Dhoni smoked the ball over long-off for a six to begin his onslaught.
Continuing his aggressive display, Dhoni hit back-to-back sixes off the next two deliveries, too. The second delivery from the MI captain Hardik Pandya came right into his slot, allowing him to stay put and club the ball over wide long-on. His striking rate soared to an impressive 600.
To cap off his exceptional performance, Dhoni secured a hat-trick of sixes as CSK’s total crossed 200. Taking advantage of a full toss on the pads, Dhoni effortlessly flicked the ball over deep square leg, much to the delight of his fans at the Wankhede. While Dhoni couldn’t time the last ball as he wanted, a thick bottom edge still beat wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, as the CSK batter, alongside his partner Shivam Dube, ran two.
This senseless captainship by Hardik Pandya when strike bowler Aakash Madhwal still having a over in his kitty to bowl himself in the last over only to face the carnage from Legendary MS Dhoni and take a score from 181 to 205 in matter of 6 balls infuriated the likes of Indian legendary batter now commentator Sunil Gavaskar who was vocal about it.
“Worst Kind Of Bowling”: Sunil Gavaskar Blasts Hardik Pandya After sensational MS Dhoni’s Fiery Knock in IPL 2024.
Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sunil Gavaskar was furious with Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya after he was hit for three consecutive sixes by MS Dhoni during the IPL 2024 match against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Hardik was the pick of the MI bowlers with two wickets but he was slammed for 20 runs by Dhoni in the final four balls of the CSK innings. Gavaskar slammed Hardik Pandya for his ‘ordinary bowling and ordinary captaincy’ and criticized the kind of deliveries that he produced.
“Probably the worst kind of bowling that I’ve seen for a long, long time. It almost looks like I’ve had this embrace with my hero. I’ve got a bowling kind of deliveries that he’s gonna hit for sixes. One 6 is fine. The next one again a length ball when you know that this batter is looking for a length ball to hit.
The third ball again, a full toss on the leg side and he’s looking for it and hits it for a 6. Absolutely ordinary bowling, ordinary captaincy,” Gavaskar said during his analysis in the mid-innings break.
Gavaskar also referred to the interaction that Hardik Pandya and Dhoni had just ahead of the match. Hardik Pandya ran to Dhoni and hugged the former India skipper in a moment that has gone viral on social media.
Coming to the match, Rohit Sharma’s century went in vain as Mumbai Indians lost to Chennai Super Kings by 20 runs. Rohit played a brilliant knock but the hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals and an impressive four-wicket haul from Matheesha Pathirana ensured the victory for CSK.
Hardik Pandya fails with the bat as Mumbai Indians fall 20 runs short
Hardik Pandya managed only two runs off six deliveries after coming in during the 14th over when the score was 130/3. He was dismissed by Tushar Deshpande in the 16th over. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan had a strong opening stand of 70 before Matheesha Pathirana derailed Mumbai’s run-chase. The Sri Lankan right-arm pacer dismissed Ishan Kishan for 23 and Suryakumar Yadav for a two-ball duck in the eighth over of the innings.
While Rohit held on to one end, he lacked support and couldn’t keep up the momentum. The veteran opening batter reached his second IPL ton in the 20th over of the innings, but Mumbai fell 20 runs short of the target. Pathirana earned the Player of the Match award for his figures of 4-0-28-4.
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube slammed half-centuries while Dhoni provided a late flourish against Hardik Pandya’s bowling to take CSK’s total to 206. Thanks to the victory, CSK remain in the third position while Mumbai Indians are eighth in the competition with just four points from six matches.