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The Mumbai Indians skipper played a match-winning knock of 48 not out off 23 balls against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
Hardik Pandya got MI’s batting award for his great effort (Picture credit: AP)
Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya got a special award inside his team’s dressing room for guiding his troops to another win in the IPL 2025 on Thursday, May 1. As Pandya led from the front with a blistering knock of 48 not out off 23 balls in MI’s huge win against Rajasthan Royals, he was handed a separate batting award by the coaching staff and players.
Coach Mahela Jayawardene asked the on-field Player of the Match, Ryan Rickleton, to pin the special badge on Pandya’s shirt for playing a knock that took the sting out of the struggling Royals and tilted the scales heavily in MI’s favour.
Pandya’s innings featured 6 fours and 1 six as he went at a magnificent strike rate of 208.70 and took MI to the gigantic 217/2 in their 20 overs.
While Rickleton’s 38-ball 61 and former captain Rohit Sharma with his 53 off 36 balls laid a perfect foundation for the visitors in Jaipur, it was Pandya’s tremendous assault alongside the dangerous Suryakumar Yadav, who made 48 from 23 deliveries, that pushed MI to an imposing score.
The Royals crumbled under the pressure of the asking rate and were bowled out for a paltry 117, giving MI their biggest win of the season in terms of runs.
“I think, as MJ (Mahela Jayawardene) said, it was clinical. From a batting standpoint, I am proud of the way we all batted. I think this competition was missing this batsmanship, and we’re showing that,” Pandya said while speaking in the dressing room.
“That is most important. When a crucial game comes, players have to bat like batters, and I think we did that. Let’s continue. Be humble. Together,” Pandya added.
But the bowlers were equally brilliant on the night for MI, with left-arm pacer Trent Boult taking 3 for 28 and spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bagging 2 scalps for 15 runs off his 4 overs.
Leg-spinner Karn Sharma contributed wonderfully as well by taking three wickets for 23 runs. The victory continued MI’s winning streak as Pandya’s men reached the top of the IPL 2025 standings with 7 wins from 11 games.
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