Emotional Hardik Pandya (Photo Credit: X)

NEW DELHI: Hardik Pandya couldn’t hide his disappointment as Mumbai Indians fell short in a thrilling IPL 2025 contest against Lucknow Super Giants. Despite delivering a career-best performance with the ball, the MI skipper was visibly emotional after the 12-run defeat at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
After the match, once the players had completed the customary handshakes, Pandya was seen isolating himself in a corner of the ground, clearly distraught. Cameras caught the emotional moment as the all-rounder seemed to be blaming himself for not being able to finish the chase in a game where Mumbai were in control for large parts.
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Pandya’s 5/36 (his first five-wicket haul in T20s) had earlier given MI hope as they restricted LSG to 203 for 8 after being asked to bowl.
However, despite a fluent 67 by Suryakumar Yadav and contributions from Naman Dhir (32) and Tilak Varma (25), MI could only muster 191/5 in their 20 overs.
In the final over, MI needed 22 runs.
Pandya smashed a six off the first ball from Avesh Khan, but two crucial dot balls and a single on the fifth delivery left MI with no way back.
The failure to find boundaries in the last two overs proved costly, especially after Shardul Thakur’s tight penultimate over.

Earlier in the match, LSG rode on blistering half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh (60 off 31) and Aiden Markram (53 off 38) to get past 200.
Pandya led a strong MI comeback by dismissing both top scorers and picking up five key wickets to stall LSG’s momentum.
Still, the all-rounder’s valiant effort wasn’t enough.
The heartbreak of a missed opportunity was written all over Pandya’s face as MI suffered yet another close defeat.
His emotional reaction has since gone viral, with fans and experts expressing both support and concern for the MI skipper as he continues to carry the weight of expectations.