Hardik Pandya admitted Mumbai Indians have not been performing to the franchise’s own expectations after a painful six-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium. The defeat pushed MI to the ninth spot in the IPL 2026 standings, with just two wins from eight matches.
The match began like it was destined to end in a comfortable home victory. Mumbai posted 243/5, powered by Ryan Rickelton’s century and meaningful contributions during the middle phases of the innings. However, Sunrisers Hyderabad turned the chase into one of the sharpest performances of the campaign, reaching 249/4 in 18.4 overs.
Travis Head set the tone with a devastating 76 off 30 balls, shifting the required run-rate firmly in SRH’s favour. Heinrich Klaasen then remained unbeaten to close out the chase with eight balls still left, completing the job with clinical control.
What Hardik said after the loss
Speaking after the game, Hardik Pandya did not single out the bowling unit, even though Mumbai failed to defend one of the highest totals of the season. He framed the setback as a wider issue for the team rather than placing blame on any one group.
“I think this season, we don’t have much options. I don’t want to put my bowlers under the bus. As an overall unit, we haven’t been able to do what Mumbai Indians stand for. We have passionate owners. We have passionate support staff,” Hardik said.
His comments highlighted the depth of MI’s struggle. Despite being five-time champions, the side have been unable to build consistent momentum across departments. The bowling has repeatedly conceded runs at key stages, and several strong batting efforts have not been converted into wins.
The context made the result even more difficult to absorb. A total of 243 is usually enough to win in T20 cricket, particularly at Wankhede. Yet SRH chased it down with authority, underlining MI’s inability to manage the game once the opposition took charge of the chase.
Supporters’ chants and the captain’s response
Hardik also addressed the mood inside the stadium, where parts of the crowd were heard chanting opposition players’ names during the chase. He acknowledged the frustration, while urging the team to give supporters more reasons to celebrate.
“Yes. I think we haven’t given them much opportunity to back us. They have been fantastic. They have been loyal. It hurts a bit when they come out and chant the opposition’s players’ names. But we need to entertain more to get back the love,” he added.
With MI sitting close to the bottom after eight matches, the gap between the franchise’s reputation and its current output has become increasingly visible. For Hardik, the direction now is clear: Mumbai need to start winning consistently to keep their playoff chances alive, and they will also have to produce stronger performances—especially at Wankhede—where fans are used to victories more than they are to applauding the opposition.
