Hardik Pandya's return as Mumbai Indians captain in IPL 2024 hasn't been smooth sailing. After taking over the reigns from Rohit Sharma, Pandya has led the team to three consecutive losses, the most recent against the Rajasthan Royals. The match at Wankhede stadium turned out to be a nightmare for MI as they suffered a monumental batting collapse which saw them getting bowled out for 125 against RR in 15.3 overs. Adding insult to injury, the home crowd continued to show hostility towards Pandya as boos erupted as he walked out for the toss, with chants of ‘Rohit...Rohit’ echoing through the stadium. However, Pandya attempted to silence the critics with his batting. He started aggressively, slamming six boundaries in a quickfire 34 off 21 balls. This brief display of power took MI from a precarious 20/4 to a more respectable 76/5 by the 10th over. The cheers erupted when he hit his first four, a stark contrast to the earlier jeers. Unfortunately, his promising innings were cut short, leaving MI's hopes of victory hanging by a thread. However, nothing worked for MI as Rajasthan made light work of MI's lowly total as they achieved the target with six wickets and 27 balls to spare.
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Despite the loss, Hardik Pandya vows Mumbai will fight on
Following Mumbai's defeat to RR, Pandya addressed the fans, assuring them the team wouldn't give up. In a social media post, Hardik wrote:
“If there's one thing you should know about this team, we never give up. We'll keep fighting, we'll keep going.”
While the pressure is certainly on, there's a glimmer of hope for MI fans. Notably, this isn't their worst start in IPL history for MI. In 2015, under Rohit Sharma's leadership, MI lost their first four matches. However, they defied the odds and went on to win the entire tournament. It will be interesting to see whether Mumbai can replicate that same fighting spirit and turn it all around in the ongoing season of the IPL.
Meanwhile, MI continue to sit at the bottom of the IPL 2024 points table while RR rocketed to the top with six points following three consecutive victories. Desperate for a win, Mumbai will play their next match at the same venue, Wankhede Stadium, on Sunday, April 7 for a crucial clash against the Delhi Capitals.
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