Gujarat Titans Triumph Over Mumbai Indians in Nail-Biting Finish

Thrilling Encounter at Wankhede

In a gripping match at Wankhede Stadium, the Gujarat Titans narrowly defeated the Mumbai Indians by three wickets in a rain-affected game that went down to the final ball.

After the match, Hardik Pandya expressed his frustration, attributing the loss to crucial no-balls. He emphasized that there were no excuses for the team's performance, labeling the no-balls as a significant error.

Pandya's Reflections on Key Moments

“The catches didn't really cost us. We were very clinical with that,” Hardik stated post-match. “But the no-balls, especially mine and the last over's no-ball, were critical. In my opinion, that’s a crime, and it often comes back to haunt you. It certainly did for us,” he added during the post-match presentation.

Pandya highlighted the three no-balls bowled by MI, including two from himself in the eighth over that cost 18 runs, and one from Deepak Chahar in the final over while defending 14 runs. Although Shubman Gill was dropped on 35 and went on to score 43, Hardik maintained that this was not the main issue.

Mumbai's Struggles with Batting

Also READ: Gujarat Titans defeated Mumbai Indians by 3 wickets (DLS method)

Despite a solid half-century from Will Jacks, MI could only manage 155 for 8, suffering a middle-order collapse that saw them lose six wickets for just 58 runs in the last 9.3 overs. However, their bowlers managed to keep them in the game, especially under challenging wet conditions.

Hardik Praises Bowling Unit

“We were short with the bat”: Hardik praises bowlers

Hardik commended his bowling team for their efforts, noting that they pushed the match to the last ball despite being 20-30 runs short of a competitive total on what he considered a 175-run pitch.

“It was definitely not a 150 wicket. I think it was a 175 [surface]. We were definitely short in batting by 20-25 runs or maybe 30 runs if you would have batted well,” he remarked.

He expressed pride in the team's resilience, stating they remained competitive until the very end.

Challenges of Wet Conditions

“In the first innings, the ground was not wet. However, throughout the second innings, the ball kept getting wetter. I’m not sure if that helped us or hindered us, but it was challenging. The rain interruptions made it difficult to maintain momentum,” he explained.

Despite the defeat, Mumbai Indians currently hold the fourth position in the points table, having played 12 matches. They must win their remaining two games to secure direct qualification, although winning one may still allow them to qualify depending on other results.