'If whole team batting at 200 strike rate, your captain can't bat at 120 S/R': Hardik Pandya slammed

In Wednesday’s thrilling IPL match, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) faced Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. SRH posted a commanding total of 277/3 in their 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma's explosive 63 off 23 balls being the standout performance. In reply, MI put up a valiant effort but fell short, scoring 246/5 in their 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma's match-winning innings earned him the Player of the Match award. SRH emerged victorious by 31 runs, showcasing a strong all-round performance. The exciting encounter left fans on the edge of their seats.

Also Read: Rohit takes captaincy duties amid SRH carnage, sends Hardik to outfield

Irfan Pathan criticizes Hardik Pandya’s captaincy for MI's loss against SRH in the IPL 2024

Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Mumbai Indians and a cricket legend for more than ten years, had a historic event on Wednesday night. MI found themselves on the losing end of a stunning turn of events during an IPL 2024 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, giving up a massive total of 277 runs. Pandya was under constant criticism from all sides in his role as captain.

Irfan Pathan, a former Indian cricketer, wasn't shy in criticising Pandya, pointing out instances in which he thought the MI skipper made mistakes. Pathan specifically questioned Pandya's tactical use of Jasprit Bumrah and chastised him for his strike-rate at the bat. Pathan, in a deviation from his customary strategic insight, stated that Pandya's strategy included flaws despite his contribution of 24 runs off 19 balls.

“Mumbai Indians would have kept the Sunrisers’ score at 250 runs had Hardik Pandya given another over to Jasprit Bumrah when Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma were batting. Bumrah was Mumbai’s best bowler in the game, but Hardik didn’t give him his second over until the 13th over.

“Despite chasing a big total of 277, Mumbai lost the game by just 31 runs. They still managed 246 runs in 20 overs,”

Also Read: Record-breaking Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Mumbai Indians by 31 runs

In an exciting change of events, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) grabbed charge of the bat and defeated the Mumbai Indians with an overwhelming total of 277/3, creating a new record for the highest team score in Indian Premier League history. This incredible accomplishment outperformed the previous record set by Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India in 2013 (263/5).

Mumbai Indians responded with a heroic performance, leading them to 246/5 in their allocated 20 overs after being in the hunt till the 18th over. In spite of their best efforts, this was their second straight loss in the current IPL season. Notably, 500 runs were scored in a single game for the first time ever during this encounter.

Hardik Pandya's Mumbai Indians have faced difficulties this season. They were defeated by Gujarat Titans, who won by a slim margin of six runs, in their first meeting at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Mumbai were in control of the game at first, but a collapse in their batting late in the innings caused them to lose.