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Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya accepted full responsibility after his side lost a close match to Lucknow Super Giants by 12 runs in the IPL 2025 clash held in Lucknow on Friday.
MI were chasing 204 but couldn’t get over the line despite strong performances from Pandya, who scored 28 off 16 and picked up 5/36, and a fighting half-century from Suryakumar Yadav.
Marsh, Markram Fire as LSG Secure Second Win
LSG’s total was built on fifties from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, who laid a strong foundation. Even though their ₹27 crore captain Rishabh Pant failed with the bat again, Lucknow held on for their second win of the season.
“Disappointing when you lose. If we had to be honest, in the field, 10-12 runs we gave too much. We fell short in the end,” Pandya said, acknowledging costly lapses.
Bowling Brilliance Not Enough
Returning to bowling duties, Pandya delivered a standout performance with the ball.
“Always enjoyed my bowling. I don’t have many options but I read the wicket and use smarter options. I never go for wickets, but I try to make batters make mistakes. Today was one of those days,” he reflected.
Despite his personal success, the MI skipper focused on the team’s overall failure with the bat.
“As a batting unit, we fell short. We win as a team, we lose as a team. I take full ownership,” Pandya said.
Tactical Move and Looking Ahead
A key moment in the chase was when Tilak Varma was retired out. Pandya defended the decision.
“We needed some hits, he was not getting those. In cricket some of those days come, when you try but they don’t come,” he explained.
With this loss, MI’s struggle for consistency continues, but Pandya remains optimistic.
“Just play good cricket, I like to keep it simple. Take better calls, be smart in bowling, take chances in batting. It is a long tournament, you get a couple of wins and get into the rhythm,” he added.
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