‘We could have tried…’: Hardik after losing second successive match

NEW DELHI: It was not the best of starts for star all-rounder Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians (MI) captain after his team lost the second successive match in the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday.
Playing against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), MI lost the plot in the first innings itself after SRH posted a record 277 for three, the highest total in IPL history, after being invited to bat first.
This extraordinary batting performance by the home team surpassed the previous highest total of 263 for five, achieved by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) back in 2013, setting a new milestone in IPL history.
Pandya, who was quite happy with the effort of his batters while chasing a mammoth total, accepted the fact that it was tough out in the middle.
“The wicket was good but 277, no matter how good or bad you bowl, if the opposition get 277 that means they batted very well. [Bowlers] were good. It was tough out there. Close to 500 runs were scored so the wicket was helping the batters. We could have tried a few different things, but we have a young bowling attack and I liked what I saw today,” Pandya said at the post-match presentation.
“If the ball goes this much in the crowd, it’s definitely different to run around and complete the overs in time. Everyone batted really well, counting Tilak, Ro, Ishan. There are just few things we need to do right and we’ll be alright. [On Maphaka] I think he was fantastic you know. Coming into your first game and getting overwhelmed by this kind of crowd. He showed great heart. He has the skillset,” Pandya added.
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In a spectacular display of batting prowess, Travis Head marked his first IPL appearance of the season with a blistering 24-ball 62, while Abhishek Sharma contributed a rapid-fire 63 off just 23 deliveries, setting a solid foundation for their team. Heinrich Klaasen remained unbeaten with an impressive 80 runs, while Aiden Markram provided valuable support with a quickfire 42 not out to propel the hosts past the monumental 250-run mark.
In response, MI put up a valiant effort, scoring 246 for five in their allotted 20 overs. Tilak Varma led the charge with a quickfire 64 off just 34 balls, while Tim David contributed an unbeaten 42 off 22 deliveries to keep their team in contention till the end.
MI ended the match with a commendable but ultimately unsuccessful pursuit despite their impressive batting display.