'Too many mistakes by their captain’ - Irfan Pathan holds Hardik Pandya responsible for MI’s lackluster campaign

Mumbai Indians’ poor form in the ongoing IPL (Indian Premier League) continued after the five-time champions lost their recent clash against Lucknow Super Giants. Both sides locked horns in the 48th game of the tournament at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday, April 30.

Posting a total of 144 runs in the first innings, Mumbai Indians lost the game by four wickets and fell even behind in the race for the playoffs. With 10 games played, MI have only managed to register three wins and have lost the remaining seven matches. 

After the game, many fingers were pointed at skipper Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder was sent packing on a golden duck in the first innings and took two wickets in four overs with the ball during the defense. Scrutinizing Pandya's decisions on the field, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and opined that he made too many mistakes.

“The team mumbai Indians that qualified last year didn’t had Jasprit Bumrah but this season they had his services. Still they are in this situation. Purely because the team wasn’t managed well on the ground. Too many mistakes by their captain Hardik Pandya. It’s the truth,” Pathan tweeted.

LSG edge closer to playoff spot

Speaking of Lucknow Super Giants, the KL Rahul-led side put in a magnificent performance against Mumbai Indians. With an equal contribution from the bowlers, the side managed to limit the five-time champions to a subpar total of 144 runs in the first innings. 

Aiming to chase down the total, Marcus Stoinis continued his brilliant form, scoring 62 runs in 45 deliveries, with KL Rahul adding 28 runs on the board as the hosts won the game by four wickets, chasing the target in 19.2 overs. 

The win saw Lucknow Super Giants move up to third place in the standings with 12 points to their name in 10 games. With the side aiming to reach the playoffs, the win could go a long way.