Hardik Pandya reckoned it was his wicket that allowed the Royals to get back in the game. Hardik hit a breezy 34 off 21 balls.
Mumbai: It was another night to forget for the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians side. Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai by six wickets on Monday to keep their winning streak intact. It was MI’s first match of the season at Wankhede and spotlight was firmly on Hardik Pandya. Following the loss, Hardik took responsibility. He reckoned it was his wicket that allowed the Royals to get back in the game. Hardik hit a breezy 34 off 21 balls.
“Yes, a tough night, we didn’t start the way we wanted to start. I wanted to counter, we were in a decent position to get us around 150-160, but my wicket allowed them to get back more into the game, I needed to do a lot more,” Hardik said at the post-match presentation.
Hardik said that he expects the side to do a lot better as they have the potential.
“It’s okay, we didn’t expect such a surface, but you can’t always have it as a batter, it’s nice at times for the bowlers to have a say. It’s all about doing the right things, (correct) results happen at times, at some other times it doesn’t. As a group, we believe we can do a lot better, but we need to be a bit more disciplined and show a lot more courage,” Hardik added.
Chasing 126 for a win, RR were reduced to 48 for three in the seventh over but Riyan Parag blasted a 39-ball 54 not out, his second successive fifty this season, to take the team home.