Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan expressed worries about the Mumbai Indians’ performance in their 18-run loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Pathan highlighted issues that arose even before Mumbai’s run chase, emphasizing the challenge faced when the bowlers allowed 240 runs.
Chasing a formidable target of 241 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai fell short despite a late push, ending at 222/5. Pathan emphasized that conceding such a high score had already put Mumbai at a disadvantage.
Pathan noted concerns with Mumbai’s batting performance but stressed that the real problem stemmed from conceding 240 runs. Despite the challenging target, Mumbai was expected to put up a better fight. The lack of a strong start in the Powerplay and early wicket losses added pressure on the middle order, impacting their momentum.
Mumbai’s chase was further hampered by Rohit Sharma’s early retirement due to injury, while the middle order struggled to maintain a consistent tempo. Although players like Hardik Pandya made contributions, the team’s inability to build momentum during crucial phases proved costly.
Pathan also commended RCB skipper Rajat Patidar for his explosive innings that significantly influenced the match outcome. Patidar’s aggressive approach from the start and his impactful innings were crucial in RCB’s strong total against Mumbai.
