Follow UsMumbai Indians got off to the best start possible, smashing 56 runs inside the powerplay, and were pushing themselves through for a big score against Gujarat Titans, on May 6 (Tuesday). Suryakumar Yadav’s 71-run partnership alongside Will Jacks was taking them towards the 170-run mark, but then Gujarat Titans started an incredible comeback, as they lost five wickets for 27 runs.
While the five-time IPL champions took the game to the final over, their skipper Hardik Pandya reckoned that they were at least 25 runs short. However, he praised the group for pushing through, as MI picked up four quick wickets after the first rain break, putting Gujarat under immense pressure.
“I think we fought really well, we kept pushing as a group. I think it wasnt't a 150 wicket, but we were short by 25 runs. Credit to the bowlers as they kept fighting,” Pandya said in the post-match presentation.
Mumbai did drop a couple of catches, but Hardik reckoned that it didn’t cost them much.
“Dropped catches do bite you, but the catches didn't bite us much. Really happy with the boys giving their 120 percent in the field and not giving up,” he concluded.
On the other hand, the winning skipper, Shubman Gill, reckoned that the first few overs were a rather ‘Test match’ like situation, given how the ball was hooping around.
“There was a little bit of chaos when we came into bat after the rain but always good to have a W on your side. The game plans were different in the powerplay, the atmosphere such that it felt like a Test match. We wanted to take the game on after the powerplay but the rain kept coming,” Gill said.
After the rain break, Jasprit Bumrah brilliantly turned the game around with the wickets of Gill and Shahrukh Khan, putting a lot of pressure on the Titans. But eventually, it was the visitors who walked away victors, smashing 15 runs off the last over, as Rahul Tewatia (11 off 8) and Gerald Coetzee (12 off 6) turned clutch.
“It was frustrating, we were ahead at one stage, but we lost 4/20. But, the universe gave us a chance before two minutes and we took it. When the match goes till the last ball when you chase 150, every contribution becomes important. Wins like these get you through in these big tournaments like the IPL.”