IPL 2025 MI vs RCB:
In a thrilling contest at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted history by defeating Mumbai Indians on their home turf after a decade. Powered by blazing knocks from Virat Kohli (67 runs) and Rajat Patidar, RCB piled up a mammoth total of 222 runs. Despite a strong fightback, Mumbai fell short, getting restricted to 209, suffering a heartbreaking loss. After the match, MI captain Hardik Pandya expressed his disappointment but stood firmly by his bowlers, while admitting where things went wrong.
Kohli and Patidar Set Wankhede on Fire
RCB's batters put up a show to remember. Virat Kohli led from the front, smashing 67 off just 42 balls, while Rajat Patidar complemented him with an aggressive knock. After ending a 17-year drought against CSK at Chepauk earlier this season, Bengaluru now breached another fortress by defeating Mumbai in their own backyard.
What Did Hardik Pandya Say After the Loss?
Speaking after the match, Hardik Pandya admitted:
"It turned into a run-fest. The wicket was really good for batting. We fell two shots short once again. Honestly, there's not much to say. It was tough for the bowlers with nowhere to hide. It’s all about closing games. We could have restricted them, but I don't want to be too harsh on the bowlers—the pitch offered very little help."
Praise for Tilak Varma
Addressing the team combination and player positions, Hardik said:
"In our original structure, Naman bats lower down the order. With Rohit unavailable in the previous match, we had to push someone up. Players like him are flexible—can bat at the top and finish games too. Now that Rohit’s back, Naman returned to his lower-order role.
Tilak Varma was outstanding today. Last time he struggled because he had a serious finger injury just a day before the match, something people didn’t know. This was a strategic decision by the coach. In games like these, powerplays are key. Unfortunately, we lost momentum in the middle overs, and that made the chase tougher. Even in the death overs, we couldn’t find the right shots."
On Jasprit Bumrah's Comeback
On Bumrah’s performance, Hardik said:
"Having Jasprit back makes any team special. He came in and did exactly what we expect of him. We’re happy with his performance. My message to the team is simple—never give up in life, always look at the positive side, play your best cricket, and trust yourselves. Hopefully, results will swing our way soon."
Rohit Sharma’s Poor Form a Big Concern
Mumbai’s innings got off to a shaky start once again with Rohit Sharma struggling to make an impact. Playing as an Impact Player, Rohit scored just 17 runs off 9 balls, including two boundaries and a six, but failed to build a substantial innings. His previous outings this season read 13, 8, and 0 runs respectively, and he missed the last match against Lucknow Super Giants due to fitness concerns. His poor form is now a major headache for the Mumbai camp.
Points Table Shake-up
After losing four out of their first five matches, Mumbai Indians have slipped to 8th place on the points table. On the other hand, RCB has climbed to third with three wins from four matches. Mumbai will now face Delhi Capitals on April 13 in what is shaping up to be a must-win clash.
