Hardik Pandya Blames MI Bowlers After RR Loss
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya said the team’s bowlers were mainly responsible for the 27-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals after admitting the attack failed to execute in a shortened IPL 2026 match. Rajasthan’s explosive opening stand left Mumbai chasing the game early, and Hardik made it clear that the batting unit was not the main reason for the loss.
Hardik Pandya Blames MI Bowling Unit
After the match, Hardik said Mumbai’s bowlers needed to take more responsibility and deliver the right balls at key moments. He said the difference in the game came down to a few badly executed deliveries that allowed Rajasthan to break away early. His comments came after Rajasthan Royals piled up 150 for 3 in an 11-over-a-side contest, with Mumbai finishing on 123 for 9.
Rajasthan Royals Openers Set Up Win
Rajasthan’s openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi put Mumbai under immediate pressure with an aggressive start. Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 77, and Hardik said the Royals’ opening burst effectively pushed Mumbai out of the contest in the first few overs. From that point, he admitted, Mumbai were chasing the game and could not recover.
Mumbai Indians Suffer Second Straight Loss
Hardik also said the bowling group was “not at all up to the mark” and noted that the unit failed to stick to its plans. Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar all proved expensive, with only one wicket shared between them. The result handed Mumbai Indians their second consecutive defeat and added pressure on the side early in the season.
