Trent Boult, the experienced pacer for the Mumbai Indians, acknowledged that the Gujarat Titans effectively utilized the black soil pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which played a crucial role in restricting the MI batters. The Titans secured a 36-run victory over MI, scoring 196 for eight on Saturday, with dew not being a factor in the match.

During the post-match press conference, Boult praised the opposing team's strategy, stating, "They executed their tactics well. If you have the ability to do that, it makes sense, but we won't use it as an excuse." He emphasized that many players in their squad have experience playing on various pitches across the country. "Honestly, it was just an off night for us. They (GT) fought hard to reach a solid total and demonstrated effective bowling on that surface. Full credit to them," he added.

The pitch used was black soil rather than the typical red, but Boult refused to blame it for their performance. "It was smart of them to leverage home conditions. Naturally, the home team should have an edge. However, we won't use that as an excuse. We were aware of the black soil pitch, and we simply didn't adapt well enough," he remarked. Chasing a target of 197, MI managed only 160 for six in their 20 overs.

"They scored 36 runs more than us, which is where we fell short. We just need to improve by 1 or 2 percent. They took pace off the ball, forcing our batters to play aggressively under scoreboard pressure, which is just good cricket," Boult noted. He also admitted that their fielding did not meet expectations. "Fielding is an integral part of the game that cannot be overlooked. We were slightly off today. If we had taken a catch on the boundary or saved a few runs, that could have made a difference of 20 or 30 runs. It's time to move forward and improve," Boult concluded.