IPL 2024: MI start Hardik Pandya era with a heartbreaking six run loss to GT in a thriller

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 24 (ANI): Fine death bowling by Gujarat Titans (GT), pacers Umesh Yadav and Spencer Johnson in particular, helped the side secure a thrilling six-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
MI start their Hardik Pandya captaincy era with a loss.
In the chase of 169 runs, Mumbai Indians was off to a bad start as Ishan Kishan feathered an edge to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, dismissed for a four-ball duck by Azmatullah Omarzai. MI was 0/1 in 0.4 overs.
Rohit Sharma later on developed a brief partnership with young batter Naman Dhir, a 24-year-old with an experience of four T20 innings. Rohit smacked Umesh Yadav for two cracking fours while Naman smashed Omarzai for three fours and a six.
However, Omarzai had the last laugh, trapping Naman leg-before-wicket for 20 in 10 balls, with three fours and a six. MI was 30/2 in three overs. Rohit, however, was unfazed as he continued punishing Umesh with a four and a six.
Dewald Brevis was next up on the crease. With a delightful boundary on Rashid Khan's delivery, Rohit helped MI reach the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs.
Australia pacer Spencer Johnson delivered an expensive over to conclude the first half of the innings, being hit for two fours by Rohit and a six by Brevis. At the end of 10 overs, MI was 88/2 with Rohit (40*) and Brevis (26*) unbeaten.
Brevis hit Mohit Sharma for a four to help MI reach the 100-run mark in 11.1 overs.
The 77-run partnership for the third wicket was ended by Sai Kishore, who trapped Rohit leg-before-wicket for 43 in 29 balls, with seven fours and a six. MI was 107/3 in 12.1 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, MI was 126/3, with Brevis (46*) and Tilak Varma (15*) unbeaten.
Mohit turned things around for GT, dismissing Tim David for 11 in 10 balls after he was caught by David Miller. MI was 142/5 in 18 overs, needing 27 runs in the final 12 balls.
In the next over, Spencer started off by conceding a six, but got Tilak on the next ball, caught by Abhinav Manohar for 25 in 19 balls. MI was 148/6, needing 21 in 10 balls.
Hardik Pandya and Gerald Coetzee were the fresh pair and they took the team to the last over with 19 runs to get in the final over as Gerald was dismissed on the final ball of the over by Spencer for one run. MI was 150/7 in 19 overs.
Shams Mulani was next up on the crease. Hardik started the next over with a six and four. However, he was dismissed for 11 in four balls by Umesh, caught by Tewatia. MI was 160/8, needing nine runs in three balls. Umesh was on a hat-trick, getting Piyush Chawla on next ball for a duck. MI was 160/9, needing nine in two balls.
MI finished their innings at 162/9 in 20 overs, losing by six runs.
Spencer (2/25), Mohit (2/32), Omarzai (2/27) and Umesh (2/31) were the top bowlers for GT.
Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah's masterclass spell and Gerald Coetzee's two-wicket haul helped Mumbai Indians (MI) restrict Gujarat Titans (GT) to 168/6 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match here at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Bumrah conceded just 7 runs in his final over and ended his quota of four overs with figures of 3 for 14 while Coetzee bagged two wickets. For GT, Sai Sudharsan scored the highest 45 off 39 and Shubman Gill scored 31.
Opting to field first, skipper Hardik Pandya opened MI's bowling, conceding 20 runs in his first two overs.
In the fourth over of the game, Jasprit Bumrah drew first blood as he provided his team with a big breakthrough. MI started to feel a bit of pressure after GT got off to a flying start, however, Bumrah came to the rescue of the five-time champions with a toe-crushing yorker as Wriddhiman Saha (19 off 15) missed the ball that rattled his stumps.
Piyush Chawla then produced a fine delivery to remove GT sipper Shubman Gill for 31. Sai Sudharsan then handled the charge as he hammered Naman Dhir courtesy of two boundaries, gathering 13 runs off the over.
Azmatullah Omarzai smoked Chawla for two sixes taking 17 runs in the 11th over of the game.
Gerald Coetzee then joined the wicket-taking party as he bagged his maiden IPL wicket, removing Azmatullah Omarzai for 17. Omarzai was beaten by pace as he hit the ball high in the air before Tilak Varma took the catch at backward square leg.
Sai Sudharsan and David Miller then rebuild GT's innings. In the 17th over of the game, Bumrah gave GT back-to-back blows as he outfoxed Miller for 12 and well-set batter Sudharsan for 45.
Rahul Tewatia came out all-gun blazing as he slammed Luke Wood for 19 runs with the help of two boundaries and one six.
In the last over of the game, Coetzee then removed Tewatia for 22 and helped MI restrict GT to 168/6 in 20 overs.
Brief score: Gujarat Titans 168/6 (Sai Sudharsan 45, Shubman Gill 31, Jasprit Bumrah 3-14) vs Mumbai Indians: . (ANI)