Hardik Pandya Reflects on Mumbai Indians' Narrow Defeat to Lucknow Super Giants

Mumbai Indians Captain Analyzes Defeat

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 5: After a close match, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged that his team fell short in crucial moments, resulting in a 12-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants during their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Friday.

In his post-match comments, Pandya highlighted some fielding mistakes and tactical missteps that ultimately led to their defeat.

“It’s disappointing to lose. To be honest, we gave away 10-12 runs in the field that we shouldn’t have. We came up short in the end,” he remarked, recognizing the fine margins that influenced the match's result, as reported by a sports media outlet.

Pandya, who contributed significantly with the ball, achieved his first five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/36.

“I’ve always enjoyed bowling. I may not have many options, but I assess the pitch and choose smarter strategies. I don’t aim for wickets directly; instead, I focus on making the batters commit errors. Today was one of those days,” he elaborated.

The MI captain also discussed the team's lackluster batting performance.

“As a batting unit, we didn’t perform well. We win together, and we lose together. I take full responsibility,” Pandya asserted, owning up to the team's overall effort.

A notable moment in the match was the decision to retire Tilak Varma during the chase.

Explaining this choice, Pandya stated, “We needed some aggressive hits, but he wasn’t able to provide those. In cricket, there are days like this when you try hard, but things don’t go your way.”

Despite the setback, Mumbai Indians are still seeking to find their rhythm this season, and Pandya remains optimistic.

“We just need to play good cricket. I prefer to keep things simple: make better decisions, bowl smartly, and take calculated risks while batting. It’s a long tournament, and a couple of wins can help us gain momentum,” he concluded.