Hardik Pandya fails to hit the stumps as GT win a chaotic last-ball thriller against MI in IPL 2025 [Watch]
Mumbai Indians (MI) made a mess of a run-out opportunity in the last ball against the Gujarat Titans (GT) to suffer a three-wicket loss in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, May 6. Hardik Pandya failed to execute a direct hit, while Deepak Chahar did not return to the stumps to potentially send the contest into a super over.
After multiple delays due to rain, the contest became a one-over shootout, with GT requiring 15 runs to win via DLS. Since Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult had finished their quota of overs, Deepak Chahar was tasked with bowling the final over.
The right-arm pacer struggled while bowling with an old ball in the back end of the innings. He was hit for a couple of boundaries and bowled a no-ball as well to take GT on the brink of victory. The equation came down to one run required off the last ball after Coetzee was caught in the deep.
Arshad Khan drilled the delivery to mid-off and set off for a quick single. Hardik Pandya collected the ball, but did not have a player to receive it at the non-striker's end. Deepak Chahar did not return from his follow-through while Suryakumar Yadav was still running in from his position inside the circle.
Pandya backed himself to make a direct hit since he had all three stumps to aim at. However, he failed to make the decisive hit, and Arshad Khan made it safely in the end.
Have a look at the chaotic proceedings right here:
MI's winning run comes to a close with the close defeat to GT. Prior to the recent clash, the Hardik Pandya-led side had won six matches in a row to announce themselves in contention for the playoffs.
"It was a game of margins" - MI captain Hardik Pandya after the loss to GT in IPL 2025
GT were behind the DLS score when rain made another appearance ahead of the penultimate over. However, the rain eased up just in time for the groundstaff to act and prepare the outfield for the last over to be played.
Earlier, it was GT who were the firm favorites in the run chase. But the visitors lost their way after losing Shubman Gill and Sherfane Rutherford in quick succession after the first rain break.
"Definitely a tough way to go down. But we fought well, especially with the kind of total we had. It was definitely not a 155-run wicket. We were short by 10-15 runs or maybe 30 runs. But we kept fighting. It was a game of margins," Pandya told the broadcasters after the match.
MI are next scheduled to face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 11.