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Hardik Pandya during IPL 2024 match against Gujarat Titans© BCCI
Former England cricket team batsman Kevin Pietersen was stunned when Hardik Pandya was booed by the Ahmedabad crowd during the IPL 2024 match between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans on Sunday. This is the first time that Hardik is playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad since he completed his sensational trade move from Gujarat Titans to Mumbai Indians and received a warm welcome from the home crowd. Pietersen acknowledged the crowd’s booing in the comments and said it is rare for an Indian cricketer to be booed at home.
“I have never seen any Indian player get booed like Hardik Pandya was booed here in Ahmedabad. This is rare,” Pietersen said in the commentary.
Good bowling by Gujarat Titans (GT), pacers Umesh Yadav and Spencer Johnson in particular, helped the team secure a thrilling six-run victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match. at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
MI begins their Hardik Pandya captaincy era with a loss.
Chasing 169 runs, Mumbai Indians got off to a poor start when Ishan Kishan gave a lead to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, dismissed by a four-ball duck from Azmatullah Omarzai. MI was 0/1 in 0.4 overs.
Rohit Sharma later developed a brief partnership with young batsman Naman Dhir, a 24-year-old with four T20 innings experience. Rohit hit Umesh Yadav for two fours, while Naman smashed Omarzai for three fours and a six.
However, Omarzai had the last laugh, trapping Naman leg before the wicket for 20 off 10 balls, with three fours and a six. MI was 30/2 in three overs. Rohit, however, was unfazed as he continued to punish Umesh with a four and a six.
Dewald Brevis was next at the crease. With a delightful boundary off Rashid Khan’s delivery, Rohit helped MI reach the 50-run mark in 5.4 overs.
Australian pacer Spencer Johnson hit a costly 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 were 88/2 with Rohit (40*) and Brevis (26*) unbeaten.
Brevis hit Mohit Sharma for 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 the wicket for 43 off 29 balls, with seven fours and a six. MI was 107/3 in 12.1 overs.
At the end of 15 overs, MI were 126/3, with Brevis (46*) and Tilak Varma (15*) unbeaten.
Mohit turned things around for GT, dismissing Tim David for 11 off 10 balls after he was caught by David Miller. MI were 142/5 in 18 overs, needing 27 runs off the last 12 balls.
In the next over, Spencer started by conceding a six, but got Tilak off the next ball, caught by Abhinav Manohar for 25 off 19 balls. MI was 148/6, needing 21 off 10 balls.
Hardik Pandya and Gerald Coetzee were the new pair and took the team into the last over with 19 runs to go all the way when Spencer dismissed Gerald on the last ball of the over for one run. MI was 150/7 in 19 overs.
Shams Mulani was next at the crease. Hardik started the next with a six and a four. However, Umesh dismissed him for 11 in four balls, caught by Tewatia. MI were 160/8 and needed nine runs off three balls. Umesh was on a hat-trick, getting Piyush Chawla on the next ball to duck. MI was 160/9, needing nine off 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 GT players.
(With ANI inputs)
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