In a recent match in Ahmedabad, Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya shared his thoughts on the game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He commended PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer for his impressive batting performance while also noting his team's failure to implement their bowling strategy effectively.

Pandya pointed out that decision-making during critical overs could have been improved, particularly highlighting the underuse of Jasprit Bumrah at a pivotal moment in the match.

“Shreyas played exceptionally well, seizing his opportunities. Although it was a par score, our bowling unit needed to execute better. They maintained their composure and applied pressure, which we struggled to counter. In hindsight, perhaps Bumrah should have bowled the 17th over, but it might have been a bit premature,” Pandya remarked during the post-match presentation.

Facing a challenging target of 204 runs, Punjab Kings displayed both aggression and steadiness, successfully chasing down the total with one over remaining, largely due to Iyer's powerful hitting and strategic leadership.

The chase began with a hiccup as Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed early by Trent Boult for just 6 runs, leaving PBKS at 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Priyansh Arya then ignited the innings with a quick 20 off 10 balls before falling to Ashwani Kumar, leaving the score at 55/2 in 5.1 overs.

Australian Josh Inglis stepped up alongside Iyer, scoring a confident 38 runs off 21 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes. However, MI's Hardik Pandya managed to dismiss him at a crucial moment, briefly halting Punjab's momentum.

As pressure mounted, Nehal Wadhera joined Iyer to form a vital 84-run partnership, keeping the required run rate in check. Wadhera fell just short of a half-century, scoring 48 runs before being dismissed by Ashwani Kumar, but the foundation for victory had already been laid.

Despite losing wickets around him, including a run-out of Shashank Singh for 2 runs, Iyer remained composed. Punjab crossed the 100-run mark in 10.3 overs and reached 150 runs in 15.1 overs, maintaining a steady scoring pace.

The match concluded in 19 overs, with Iyer sealing the victory with a massive six, leading his team to the finals for the first time since 2014 and adding a significant chapter to his captaincy journey.

Earlier, in the first innings, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav contributed crucial scores of 44 runs each, helping Mumbai Indians set a total of 203/6 in their 20 overs.

Shreyas Iyer was named Player of the Match for his outstanding innings of 87 runs off 41 balls, which featured five fours and eight sixes.