The eighth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 witnessed a historic clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. With the most sixes ever hit in an IPL match and a record-breaking collective run tally, the game treated over 35,000 fans to an unforgettable spectacle.
SRH scripts history with record-breaking total
Sunrisers Hyderabad etched their name in the IPL history books by posting a mammoth total of 277/3 in their 20 overs. This staggering score not only became the highest team total in IPL history but also stands as the fourth highest in T20 cricket globally. Notably, SRH’s achievement surpasses all non-T20I records in domestic or franchise-based cricket, eclipsing Punjab’s 275/6 against Andhra in SMAT 2017.
Hardik Pandya’s captaincy under scrutiny
Despite Mumbai’s valiant effort in response, skipper Hardik Pandya faced criticism for his tactical decisions on the field. Particularly, Pandya’s utilization of ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah came under scrutiny. Bumrah, known for his effectiveness in the powerplay, was only given one over during this crucial phase of the game, raising eyebrows among cricket pundits and fans alike.
Irfan Pathan and Tom Moody express disapproval
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan took to social media to express his disappointment in Pandya’s captaincy, labeling it as “ordinary.” Pathan questioned the decision to keep Bumrah out of the attack when the situation demanded otherwise.
“The captaincy of Hardik Pandya has been ordinary to say the least. Keeping Bumrah away for too long when the carnage was on was beyond my understanding,” Pathan wrote on X.
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The captaincy of Hardik Pandya has been ordinary to say the least. Keeping Bumrah away for too long when the carnage was on was beyond my understanding.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) March 27, 2024
Similarly, former Sunrisers head coach Tom Moody echoed Pathan’s sentiments, highlighting the absence of Bumrah in the powerplay as a missed opportunity for Mumbai.
“Where is Jasprit Bumrah?? Game nearly done and your best bowler has only bowled ONE over! #SRHvMI,” Moody wrote.
Where is Jasprit Bumrah?? Game nearly done and your best bowler has only bowled ONE over! #SRHvMI
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) March 27, 2024
Heinrich Klaasen joins the bandwagon
Even the player from the opposing team, Heinrich Klaasen, acknowledged the strategic error in Mumbai’s approach. Klaasen asserted that Mumbai “missed a trick” by not deploying Bumrah effectively in the powerplay. According to the South African superstar, this allowed SRH’s batters to set the tempo early on, paving the way for their formidable total.
“They didn’t bowl their best bowler in the powerplay… that was our plan. They missed a trick up front. We’ve got incredible strikers up front in our batting line-up. They just set the tempo so our work was basically done,” said Klaasen said while collecting the orange cap.
Mumbai’s valiant effort falls short
Despite a spirited chase led by openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians ultimately fell short of the massive target set by SRH. Tilak Varma emerged as the top scorer for Mumbai, followed closely by Tim David, but their efforts were not enough to secure victory for the team under Pandya’s captaincy and Mumbai suffered their second consecutive loss in IPL 2024.
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