‘Time for difficult calls,’ Mumbai Indians captain Pandya signals overhaul after crushing loss to Punjab
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Time for difficult calls,’ Mumbai Indians captain Pandya signals overhaul after crushing loss to Punjab")
‘Time for difficult calls,’ Pandya signals overhaul after crushing loss to PBKS Photograph: (AFP)
Hardik Pandya hints at a major Mumbai Indians shake-up after a crushing loss to Punjab Kings. Despite a de Kock ton, Shreyas Iyer's heroics and Prabhsimran's blitz left MI winless in 4 games. Read the full post-match analysis.
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya has signalled a selection overhaul after his team suffered a crushing seven-wicket loss to table-toppers Punjab Kings in their just-concluded IPL 2026 home game on Thursday (Apr 16). Despite scoring 195, courtesy of Quinton de Kock’s brilliant hundred in the first innings, MI failed to defend it, with PBKS opener Prabhsimran Singh punishing them with an unbeaten 80 off just 39 balls. However, the real hero for the visitors was their captain, Shreyas Iyer, who not only pulled off perhaps the catch of the summer, but also slammed a match-winning 66 in a mere 35 balls to see his team home.
Speechless after a horror defeat, Mumbai’s fourth straight thus far in this season, Pandya at the post-match presser said, “To be honest, I don't have much to say. We need to go back and see where we're lacking - if it's individuals, groups or planning and work it out.”
Punjab won the toss and elected to field first, a decision they were sure would reap rewards. De Kock’s return to the MI did help the hosts, as they banked on his heroics to register a fighting total. However, with dew bound to make its presence felt, their final score felt at least 20 shy, something MI batter Naman Dhir also admitted during the mid-break.
Punjab, oozing with confidence, started superbly, with two openers going about their business from the word go. However, two wickets inside the Powerplay brought the skipper to the crease, and the rest remains applaudable. Alongside Prabhsimran, who kept the scoring rate ticking, Iyer led from the front and smashed bowlers, including ace quick Jasprit Bumrah, for fun.
The pair added a mighty 139 for the third wicket, and with that, almost sealed the game before Dhir pulled off a stunner to get rid of the Punjab captain. Marcus Stoinis and Prabhsimran then completed the formality, inflicting a seven-wicket defeat on the Mumbai Indians to go on top of the points table with nine points from five contested matches.
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“Credit to PBKS, ball started reversing. Dew came in the second innings, but they beat us. They bowled and fielded better. We need to see if we need to make difficult calls or see if we continue and turn things around. Ownership has to be taken,” Pandya continued.
