Hardik Pandya was relieved when Mumbai Indians won their IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings. After leading the contest for the most part, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma put Mumbai on the back foot, but the bowlers ensured the visitors left the city with two points. Former India player Irfan Pathan, who is gunning for Hardik’s head, finally praised the new skipper of the five-time champions.
Shashank and Ashutosh looked unstoppable before Hardik gave the ball to his best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, in the 13th over of Punjab’s chase.
Bumrah, who had already taken two wickets, impacted the game on the first ball of his third over when a slower delivery got the wicket of Shashank, who scored 41 runs off 25 balls, with the help of 3 sixes and 2 fours. For Irfan, this was the game-changing move by Hardik,
“Hardik Pandya was proactive as a captain and made a game-changing move by giving the 13th over to Jasprit Bumrah. He didn’t keep him for the death overs. Had Hardik done that, it would have been game over for Mumbai Indians, as Shashank was hitting them all over the park. I think this is where Mumbai won the game,” Irfan said after the match.
Ashutosh was at the crease and accumulated 61 runs off 28, but the lack of support led to his departure while chasing 193. MI registered their third win of the season by 9 runs, with Bumrah getting the POTM award, his second of IPL 2024.
