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#IPL #difficult #calls #Hardik #Pandya #Mumbai #Indians #suffers #fourth #consecutive #loss">IPL 2026: ‘We need to make some difficult calls,’ says Hardik Pandya after Mumbai Indians suffers fourth consecutive loss Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was left searching for answers after yet another Indian Premier League (IPL) defeat — a seven-wicket drubbing at the hands of Punjab Kings — and admitted that his team needed to go back to the drawing board to identify its shortcomings, while hinting that some tough calls could be taken in the upcoming matches.
Mumbai Indians has lost four of its five matches and is languishing in ninth place with just two points, while Punjab Kings sits atop the table with an unbeaten run, having collected nine points so far.
Despite a much-improved showing from Mumbai Indians, powered by Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 112 off 60 balls to post 195 for six, it proved insufficient against a rampant Punjab Kings side.
Punjab chased down the target in just 16.3 overs for the loss of three wickets, with breakout opener Prabhsimran Singh continuing his fine form with an unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, while captain Shreyas Iyer hammered a 35-ball 66.
“To be very honest, I don’t have much to say right now. I think we really need to go back to the drawing board and see where we are lacking. Is it individuals? Is it as a group? Is it planning? We’ll just figure it out and see what we can do next,” said Pandya after another morale-shattering loss.
“No, I think we need to see, do we need to make some difficult calls, or do we need to keep continuing and hope that we’ll turn things around. These are some harsh questions which eventually we need to answer, and yeah, ownership has to be taken.”
Pandya also credited the opposition team for out-thinking the home side in all departments of the game.
“I think we need to give credit to them as well. The ball started reversing. In the second innings, the dew came, and it slightly got better, but having said that, they just outbeat us. They bowled better, they batted better, they fielded better definitely.
Iyer said staying grounded has helped the side execute its plans with precision.
“Certainly confident and optimistic the way we have been playing. Also we have our heads on our shoulder. I am glad that today we came out and got that victory,” said Iyer.
He also praised the coming-of-age of Prabhsimran, noting that the opener has consistently provided fluent starts and on Thursday carried the team through with an unbeaten knock.
“He (Prabhsimran) has certainly raised up his bar, even though he was getting runs, he was giving us excellent starts, this year he has been more mature, match by match he is getting more mature,” added Iyer.
Prabhsimran said self-belief helped him overcome a lean phase in the PowerPlay and take on the bowling more aggressively later in the innings.
“I was just believing in myself because in the PowerPlay, I didn’t get many balls to play. I think I played 6-7 balls in the PowerPlay. But then, in my mind, I thought that if I take a little longer, I will be able to play (better). So, I kept believing in myself that I would do it, and I did it. I just had this in mind that I will play the anchor,” added Prabhsmiran.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya was left searching for answers after yet another Indian Premier…
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#IPL #Hardik #Pandya #hints #difficult #calls #Mumbai #Indians #searchesfor #spark #infaltering #campaign">IPL 2026: Hardik Pandya hints at ‘difficult calls’ as Mumbai Indians searches for ‘spark’ in faltering campaign
It may still be early in the season, but Mumbai Indians has already drifted into troubled waters, managing just one win from its first five matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The concern is no longer simmering; it’s out in the open. Following a seven-wicket loss to Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, captain Hardik Pandya admitted that the team may need to take “difficult calls” if needed.
Even head coach Mahela Jayawardene, typically measured in his assessments, conceded that the side is still searching for the elusive “spark.” He pointed to the bowling unit as a key area of concern but was quick to stress that the responsibility does not lie with the captain alone.
“I don’t think it’s just on Hardik, I think it’s on every one of us when we are not doing well,” Jayawardene said. “It’s not an individual. It’s pretty much on me, everyone involved in the management and all that to see how we can be better.”
Despite insisting that the team hasn’t been completely outplayed, Jayawardene acknowledged that opposition sides have been sharper and more clinical, riding high on confidence. “We need to control the phases we can,” he added.
While the batting unit, particularly Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, has come under scrutiny for inconsistency, the bigger worry remains the lack of bite in the bowling. Jasprit Bumrah has been economical but wicketless, while Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar have failed to make a significant impact.
Jayawardene also pointed to disruptions caused by injuries and availability issues. Rohit Sharma missed the last game due to injury, while Mitchell Santner was sidelined by illness.
“The games we lost were all different, and some combinations were forced upon us,” he said. “We are trying to build with what we have, but we are finding some spark in certain areas, but the other side is finding that especially with the ball…”
With the season already slipping away, Mumbai Indians must regroup quickly and make decisive changes before facing Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
It may still be early in the season, but Mumbai Indians has already drifted into troubled waters, managing just one win from its first five matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The concern is no longer simmering; it’s out in the open. Following a seven-wicket loss to Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, captain Hardik Pandya admitted that the team may need to take “difficult calls” if needed.
Even head coach Mahela Jayawardene, typically measured in his assessments, conceded that the side is still searching for the elusive “spark.” He pointed to the bowling unit as a key area of concern but was quick to stress that the responsibility does not lie with the captain alone.
“I don’t think it’s just on Hardik, I think it’s on every one of us when we are not doing well,” Jayawardene said. “It’s not an individual. It’s pretty much on me, everyone involved in the management and all that to see how we can be better.”
Despite insisting that the team hasn’t been completely outplayed, Jayawardene acknowledged that opposition sides have been sharper and more clinical, riding high on confidence. “We need to control the phases we can,” he added.
While the batting unit, particularly Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, has come under scrutiny for inconsistency, the bigger worry remains the lack of bite in the bowling. Jasprit Bumrah has been economical but wicketless, while Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar have failed to make a significant impact.
Jayawardene also pointed to disruptions caused by injuries and availability issues. Rohit Sharma missed the last game due to injury, while Mitchell Santner was sidelined by illness.
“The games we lost were all different, and some combinations were forced upon us,” he said. “We are trying to build with what we have, but we are finding some spark in certain areas, but the other side is finding that especially with the ball…”
With the season already slipping away, Mumbai Indians must regroup quickly and make decisive changes before facing Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
It may still be early in the season, but Mumbai Indians has already drifted into…
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#PBKS #IPL #Kock #ton #vain #Prabhsimran #Shreyas #extend #Punjab #Kings #unbeaten #run">MI vs PBKS, IPL 2026: De Kock ton in vain as Prabhsimran, Shreyas extend Punjab Kings’ unbeaten run
Prabhsimran Singh brought up his second half-century of the season as Punjab Kings aced another tall chase, this time against Mumbai Indians, to maintain its unbeaten run in the IPL 2026 on Thursday
Despite the cheers of a packed Wankhede Stadium for the home team, the in-form Prabhsimran continued his dream run with an unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, forging a crucial 139-run partnership with captain Shreyas Iyer (66, 35b, 5×4, 4×6) for the third wicket to ensure that Punjab Kings chased down Mumbai Indians’ 195 for 6 with seven wickets in hand and silence the crowd.
Quinton de Kock, stepping in for the injured Rohit Sharma, smashed an unbeaten 112 off 60 balls and Naman Dhir made the most of a reprieve to score a fifty and stitch a 122-run stand off 68 balls for the third wicket, helping Mumbai recover from 12 for 2.
Punjab began the chase briskly. The visitors raced to 21 in the opening over before Allah Ghazanfar struck twice to remove Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly, briefly checking the momentum.
However, Prabhsimran quickly took charge and ensured there were no further hiccups. Keeping the required rate under control, he played freely and punished anything loose, while rotating strike effectively.
At the other end, Shreyas complemented him perfectly, playing the sheet-anchor role, before eventually clearing the ropes. The duo mixed caution with aggression, steadily closing in on the target with a composed approach.
Also read | Train smarter, not harder — Ramji Srinivasan decodes how IPL’s OG superstars can stave off injuries
As the partnership blossomed, Mumbai’s bowlers struggled to make an impact, as none could find a breakthrough. It turned into another wicketless outing for Jasprit Bumrah, adding to Mumbai’s concerns.
Earlier, Arshdeep Singh gave Punjab the perfect start by removing Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav off successive deliveries, becoming the first Punjab Kings bowler to claim 100 IPL wickets.
Though Mumbai recovered through Dhir and de Kock’s counterattack, the total proved insufficient on a good batting surface, as Punjab’s clinical chase underlined its dominance and consistency this season.
With the chase executed with authority and calm, Punjab Kings once again showcased its depth and balance, leaving MI with plenty to ponder as its campaign continued to stutter.
Published on Apr 16, 2026
Prabhsimran Singh brought up his second half-century of the season as Punjab Kings aced another tall chase, this time against Mumbai Indians, to maintain its unbeaten run in the IPL 2026 on Thursday
Despite the cheers of a packed Wankhede Stadium for the home team, the in-form Prabhsimran continued his dream run with an unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, forging a crucial 139-run partnership with captain Shreyas Iyer (66, 35b, 5×4, 4×6) for the third wicket to ensure that Punjab Kings chased down Mumbai Indians’ 195 for 6 with seven wickets in hand and silence the crowd.
Quinton de Kock, stepping in for the injured Rohit Sharma, smashed an unbeaten 112 off 60 balls and Naman Dhir made the most of a reprieve to score a fifty and stitch a 122-run stand off 68 balls for the third wicket, helping Mumbai recover from 12 for 2.
Punjab began the chase briskly. The visitors raced to 21 in the opening over before Allah Ghazanfar struck twice to remove Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly, briefly checking the momentum.
However, Prabhsimran quickly took charge and ensured there were no further hiccups. Keeping the required rate under control, he played freely and punished anything loose, while rotating strike effectively.
At the other end, Shreyas complemented him perfectly, playing the sheet-anchor role, before eventually clearing the ropes. The duo mixed caution with aggression, steadily closing in on the target with a composed approach.
Also read | Train smarter, not harder — Ramji Srinivasan decodes how IPL’s OG superstars can stave off injuries
As the partnership blossomed, Mumbai’s bowlers struggled to make an impact, as none could find a breakthrough. It turned into another wicketless outing for Jasprit Bumrah, adding to Mumbai’s concerns.
Earlier, Arshdeep Singh gave Punjab the perfect start by removing Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav off successive deliveries, becoming the first Punjab Kings bowler to claim 100 IPL wickets.
Though Mumbai recovered through Dhir and de Kock’s counterattack, the total proved insufficient on a good batting surface, as Punjab’s clinical chase underlined its dominance and consistency this season.
With the chase executed with authority and calm, Punjab Kings once again showcased its depth and balance, leaving MI with plenty to ponder as its campaign continued to stutter.
Published on Apr 16, 2026
Prabhsimran Singh brought up his second half-century of the season as Punjab Kings aced another…
