IPL 2019 | Had Krunal got couple of sixes, we would have been in the game, opines Hardik Pandya

After Andre Russell’s late heroics saw Kolkata Knight Riders post a target of 233 in the first innings, the Eden Gardens crowd hardly expected a similar knock from anyone else on the evening. But, an in-form Hardik Pandya did the same taking Mumbai Indians extremely close to a terrific win before failing right at the end.

After getting reduced to 58/4 in the ninth over, Mumbai needed a miracle more than a partnership in the middle when Pandya walked in. Hitting six boundaries and nine sixes, Pandya’s 34-ball-91 knock saw Mumbai needing 59 runs needed off the last three overs. The swashbuckling all-rounder hit Harry Gurney for 10 runs before falling on the last ball.

“I was just telling Krunal 'damn I am close to a hundred' that is something new for me. The situation demanded to go all out and I was lucky enough everything was coming out, except the ball I got out. To be honest, with this kind of total you don't think much, just go out there and express yourself. I knew Pollard was there, I couldn't take time and I just wanted to enjoy the game,” said Pandya after the match, reported Cricbuzz. 

“I am just holding my shape pretty well and the confidence makes a huge difference. I knew something different had to happen, but it was difficult for one guy to keep going. If Krunal had got a couple, we would have been proper in the game. My plan was to get close to the total so that the run rate doesn't get affected.”

Despite losing the match by 16 runs, Mumbai Indians are very much in the safe zone with a place in playoffs almost sealed. However, Rohit Sharma criticized the top order flailing at the Eden lamenting the fact that there was no one to support Hardik in the end. 

“You gotta start well which didn't happen for us. We kept losing wickets which added more pressure towards the end. If somebody would have played a hand with Hardik, we lost by 30 runs, you never know,” said the MI skipper after the match. 

Sharma also praised the KKR batsmen who fired right from the start on Sunday with none of them below average. This was the highest total posted by KKR this season and their second highest in IPL history. 

“We tried everything we could. We bowled those yorkers, we bowled the bouncers, tried our variations. Got to give credit to their batters, Lynn set the tone, Gill batted really well and Russell finished it off.  This is learning for us. We will find some answers going forward. Today was a testing time for us, but I am not really worried how the bowling unit will come back from this,” said Sharma.