Mumbai Indians (MI) will have plenty to ponder after the thrilling defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 match. Despite posting a competitive total, MI couldn’t defend it and PBKS Shreyas Iyer single-handedly took his team to victory with a breathtaking 87* off 41 balls. The match was nearly bitter and the Mumbai Indians (MI) defeat raised several questions about their strategy, batting and bowling.
What went wrong with the MI bowlers ?
The Mumbai Indians’ (MI) defeat against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) can be attributed to several factors. The bowling unit had a mixed performance with Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya showing glimpses of brilliance, but other players, Jasprit Bumrah and Reece Topley, struggled to contain the PBKS batsmen.
Ashwani Kumar’s impact spell was forgettable, conceding 55 runs in 4 overs without a wicket. Mitchell Santner’s spell was also underutilised as he blew only 2 overs, limiting his impact on the game. Additionally, Mumbai Indians’ bowlers surprisingly didn’t try shot balls to target Shreyas Iyer, who went on to play a match-winning knock. The lack of control, wicket-taking ability & strategic bowling ultimately cost MI the match. MI’s blowing coach will need to work on their strategy and identify the areas that went wrong.
MI’s middle order collapse
Mumbai Indians middle order collapse was a defining moment in the match, but a positive note was the partnership between Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav. They built a crucial partnership that showed promise. Tilak Verma played a decent knock, scoring 44 runs off 29 balls, before getting dismissed by Kyle Jamieson, caught by Priyansh Arya at mid-on. However, the collapse that followed after SKY’s dismissal ultimately led to the Mumbai Indians’ downfall.
Hardik Pandya also got caught out by Josh Inglis off Azmatullah Omarzai’s bowling, which further added to the team’s woes. Naman Dhir showed some spark in the lower middle order, scoring 37 runs off 18 balls. Unfortunately, these setbacks were too much for MI to overcome, and they were knocked out of the finals. The team’s middle batting order needs to work on handling pressure and building on partnerships to post more competitive totals.
Mumbai Indians’ defeat against PBKS has raised several questions about their strategy, batting and bowling. The team will need to address these concerns if they want to bounce back stronger next season. They need to work on their weaknesses, build their strengths and develop a winning mentality.
With the right approach and strategy, MI can come back stronger and make a deep run in the playoffs. The team needs to have a close look at their performance and work on improving. Only then can they achieve their goal of winning the IPL match.
Also Read: MI vs PBKS: Shreyas Iyer’s Stellar 87 Unbeaten Leads PBKS To First IPL Final In 11 Years