Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya said bowling Jasprit Bumrah with 41 runs needed off four overs "would have been too early" after their five-wicket loss to Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League 2025 Qualifier 2. Punjab chased down MI's 204-run target with an over to spare in Ahmedabad to book a final meeting with Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday (June 3).
Pandya chose to bowl Trent Boul for the 17th over, with a set Shreyas Iyer batting on 48 off 26 balls. While the over produced a run-out, 10 runs came off it, which did not add further pressure on PBKS. Bumrah, widely regarded as one of the best death bowlers in world cricket, came on to bowl the 18th over with 31 needed off the last three.
"In hindsight, it would have been different and it would have been too early as well, Boom (Bumrah) knowing the situation, if even 18 balls are left Jassi can be Jassi and he can do something special and it just didn't happen today," Pandya said the post-match presentation when asked about his choice of bowler for the 17th over.
The losing captain praised his opposite number wholeheartedly for the latter's unbeaten 87. "The way Shreyas batted, took his chances and some of the shots he played were really outstanding. I think they definitely batted really well."
On the 203-run total, Pandya felt it was par, but it "needed some great execution" as a bowling unit in a big game like this. "They were really calm, put us under pressure and I think we were not able to execute the way we wanted. I will not put it on the wicket. If we had to do something better it was maybe someone bowling right lengths or maybe the right bowler at the right point, the result could have been a bit different."
The five-time champions failed to defend a 200-plus total for the first time in IPL history, while Bumrah conceded his most expensive over of the season on the night as Josh Inglis smashed him for 20 runs.
