Mumbai Indians’ chase of Kolkata Knight Riders felt like it had a clear storyline from the start: an uneven batting display from MI, a difficult surface in Kolkata, and a couple of missed moments in the field that swung momentum. MI ultimately finished on 147, a total Hardik Pandya said was below par, but it was successfully hunted down with seven balls left.
Powerplay struggles shape MI’s total
- MI ended the powerplay on 46 for 4, with Hardik pointing to early wicket losses as a key factor behind the final number.
- Against KKR, six of MI’s eight partnerships produced fewer than 20 runs, limiting the platform needed for a bigger score.
- Hardik said those lost runs—particularly the failure to extend partnerships—left MI about 20 short of where they needed to be.
On the field, the middle overs didn’t provide the repair job MI required. Hardik, back in action and taking command, and Tilak Varma were slow during that phase, registering 26 off 27 and 20 off 32 respectively. Together, it produced the worst strike rate for positions five and six in an IPL innings where both batters faced at least 20 deliveries.
Speaking after the match, Hardik framed it as a chaseable but insufficient effort. “We were 20 short,” he said at the presentation. “I think we lost a lot of wickets in powerplay, but if Tilak [Varma] or I would have stayed longer and if we would have stitched a couple of more partnerships and those 15-20 runs, I think we would have had a decent chance.”
KKR’s pitch and how it affected the game
The venue played its part. Rovman Powell described the track in Kolkata as a “typical Caribbean wicket,” adding that the ball was coming on to the bat slowly and stopping rather than flowing through. In total, only 295 runs were scored and 14 wickets fell in 38.5 overs. While the surface was not the usual IPL-style strip, Hardik said it was exactly the sort of wicket that can draw bowlers into the contest.
“I don’t mind playing on this sort of wickets,” Hardik said. “Where bowlers have something to do. I think IPL is becoming quite batting dominant, bowlers are feeling helpless. I think, today’s game gave bowlers a lot of something from wicket which makes them come and bowl some good balls, make batsmen play some good cricket and score runs. So, yeah, I kind of enjoyed it.”
MI’s chances when KKR were cruising
- Even with the low-scoring context, MI stayed in the match when KKR reached 73 for 3 after nine overs.
- In the next two overs, two chances went down, preventing KKR from being pushed further back.
- Those missed opportunities allowed Powell and Manish Pandey to build a decisive 64-run stand, swinging the game’s momentum.
Hardik also addressed MI’s fielding, admitting it has been an issue across the season. “I don’t know [what went wrong with the fielding]. I think, we, throughout the season, we’ve been, quite poor in fielding,” he said. “We have dropped a lot of catches, which obviously no one wants to do it, but, in that part of the game, I think, there is no hiding away.
“If you get chances, if you want to win games, you need to grab all the chances, even half-chances as well. But yeah, when you drop chances which can change the game, it’s always you’re chasing the game.”
