History repeated itself last night when Mumbai Indians failed to win their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. This is now 12 years in a row that Mumbai Indians have lost their opening match.
The match number 5 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 was played between the hosts Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad. Gujarat fans brought hostile environment into the stadium for its departing captain Hardik Pandya, who was the captain of Mumbai Indians after leaving Gujarat.
After being asked to bat first, Gujarat Titans, under the new leadership of Shubman Gill, scored 168 runs in their 20 overs with Sai Sudarshan leading the charge with 45 runs of 39 balls.
Chasing the target, Mumbai lost the match by 6 runs. Requiring 19 runs of the last over, Hardik Pandya scored 10 runs of the first two balls before he was caught out in the 3rd balls. Piyush Chawla also got out first ball, as Umesh Yadav’s brilliant final over helped his team win the match.
One of the big talking point of this match is when Tilak Varma decided to take no single when he was facing Rashid Khan in the 17th over. Mumbai only scored 3 runs in that over.
Addressing the same, captain Hardik Pandya talked about Tilak Varma’s decision and backed the youngster. “I think Tilak felt that was a better idea at that point of time. I completely back him, it is not an issue. Thirteen games to go,” Hardik said during the post presentation ceremony.
After another defeat in their opening match in the Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians will be next taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad on the 27th March in Hyderabad.
