
Five-time Champions, Mumbai Indians, fell short of crossing the line in match number 56 of the eighteenth edition Indian Premier League. Mumbai’s unbeaten streak came to an unfortunate halt in a rain-stricken match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. The visitors won the toss and elected to field first. Gujarat bowlers wasted no time in proving the decision of their captain to be correct as Mohammad Siraj and Arshad Khan scalped both the openers in the first 3 overs. Suryakumar Yadav and Will Jacks steadied the ship, but after their dismissal, the Mumbai Indians’ batting order fell a pack of nine pins and could only manage a target of 158 runs. Gujarat lost their top scorer Sai Sudharshan, early on in their chase. But Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler struck a partnership of 72 runs, which helped to keep the target within sight. Mumbai threatened to make a late comeback by picking 5 wickets for just 33 runs, but it was too little, too late for the hosts as Rahul Tewatia guided Gujarat across the victory line.
Here are three reasons which may have contributed to Mumbai’s loss.
3. No show from Batters
Mumbai’s batting line-up failed miserably at Wankhede. Barring Will Jacks and Suryakumar Yadav, none of the other prominent batters even managed to cross the double-digit mark. Poor shot selection contributed to the unfortunate dismissals of the batters that ultimately cost them the match.
2. Deepak Chahar’s too expensive spell at the start
Deepak Chahar had a bad day with the ball. He conceded 32 runs in 3 overs at an economy of nearly 11 runs an over. His spell failed to restrict the Gujarat batters right at the start of the innings. This, coupled with a fairly small target, ensured the required run rate didn’t escalate to unreachable levels for the Gujarat Titans.
1. The Captain failed to make an impact
In an important fixture towards the business end of the season, Mumbai’s skipper Hardik Pandya failed to contribute with both his bat and ball. He managed to score just a run in the 3 deliveries he faced before getting scalped by Sai Kishore. With the ball, the all-rounder conceded 18 runs from just his one over. The captain failed to assist the team in propelling them towards victory.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.