"It's okay to be unique"- Top 10 Hardik Pandya memes after MI suffer second loss on trot in IPL 2024
Newly appointed Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya has gotten off to a tough start in his tenure, losing both their games in IPL 2024 so far.
MI threw away a great platform and choked in the final few overs of the chase to lose against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) then defeated them in a high-scoring contest on Wednesday (March 27) to hand the five-time champions their second loss.
Hardik Pandya won the toss in the match against SRH and opted to bowl first on a batting paradise. Sunrisers batters made merry of the friendly conditions and scripted history as they notched up 277/3, the highest-ever total in IPL.
Hardik faced the wrath of fans and critics for his questionable usage of resources amidst SRH batters' carnage. His decision to give Jasprit Bumrah only one over in the first ten overs when SRH scored 148 runs received heavy criticism.
In the chase, Hardik walked out to bat in the 11th over with 128 runs needed for his team in 9.2 overs. He could only score 24 (20) before perishing at the end of the 18th over. MI went on to reach 246/5 in 20 overs and lost the match by 31 runs.
Fans roasted Hardik Pandya for his poor captaincy and timid batting approach in a steep chase against SRH by sharing memes on social media platforms. Here are some of the best memes:
"We have a young bowling attack, not much experience but I liked what I saw tonight"- MI captain Hardik Pandya after loss vs SRH in IPL 2024
After the conclusion of the match, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya reflected on the loss, saying:
"Wicket was good but 277, no matter how bad or good you bowl... when the opposition has scored that many, it means they have batted well. It was tough out there. Almost close to 500 runs were scored, that means the wicket was helping the batters. We could have done a few things here or there. We have a young bowling attack, not much experience but I liked what I saw tonight."
He added:
"When the ball goes into the crowd this much, it is definitely difficult to finish the overs on time. But all in all, everyone has to bowl in the same time so it is okay. (On the batting) Everyone, Tilak, Ro, Ishan, Tim, looked good. It is just a matter of time. If we can do a few things right, it will be alright. He (Maphaka) has a good heart. He backed his skill-set. He showed he had the skill-set and he just needs a bit of game-time."
What is your opinion on Hardik Pandya's captaincy decisions for MI in the two matches so far? Sound off in the comments section.