The Mumbai Indians' impressive six-match winning streak came to an unexpected end on Tuesday, as they faced a last-ball defeat against the Gujarat Titans in a rain-affected match. Needing 15 runs from the final six deliveries, MI had to choose between Hardik Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, or Will Jacks for the crucial over. Ultimately, they opted for Deepak Chahar, but he was unable to defend the target, leading to a three-wicket loss for MI.

Despite the criticism surrounding MI's choice to hand the ball to Chahar, Head Coach Mahela Jayawardene defended the decision, emphasizing the pacer's previous performances. "Deepak did that job for us when Booms [Jasprit Bumrah] was not there [for the first few games of the season]. He was good, our main bowler," Jayawardene stated.

“Deepak did that job for us when Booms [Jasprit Bumrah] was not there [for the first few games of the season]. He was good, our main bowler,” Jayawardene .

MI had seemingly made their decision before returning to the field after the rain delay. Chahar's over was filled with tension and errors, including a no-ball, a four, and a six, allowing the Gujarat Titans to snatch victory at the last moment. Despite the outcome, Jayawardene maintained that the decision to bowl Chahar was not the issue.

“It's easier for you to ask me that question now and for me to say, ‘yeah, maybe Hardik’. But had Hardik gone for three sixes, you might have asked me why we didn’t bowl Deepak. I don't like to go to that,” Jayawardene remarked.

Jayawardene reflected on the match, stating that the defeat stemmed not from the choice of bowler but from the execution of the over. MI had control at various points, but lapses in execution ultimately cost them the game.

“Throughout the game, we made some good decisions with the ball when we had to attack. Deepak's execution – a couple of balls he missed, they hit some good shots, we bowled a no-ball as well – and we still came down to the last ball," he explained.

For Jayawardene, the disappointment lay not in the strategy but in the inability to perform under pressure.

 “It was not the decision; it was the execution. That’s where we lost the game. My thinking is we lost the game when we had control of it, and that was disappointing.”

Currently, the Mumbai Indians sit in fourth place with two matches remaining. To secure a direct qualification, they must win both games. They still have a chance to qualify if they win one, but that would depend on the outcomes of other matches.