Hardik Pandya: Tilak Varma's slow start 'cost us the game' against DC

Tilak Varma top-scored for Mumbai Indians against Delhi Capitals in the 10-run defeat on Saturday in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Varma top-scored 63 runs from 32 balls but had started slowly in the hunt for a massive 258 run target. MI skipper Hardik Pandya said the left-hander’s slow start ‘cost us the game.’

The phase in the game identified by the MI captain saw Varma scored just eight runs off eight balls he faced from left-armers Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. It included taking four singles from four balls as well.

Axar came on to bowl in the eighth over with MI 72/3. He bowled six of his 12 deliveries to Varma. On the first four balls, Varma took singles without any attacking intent. The MI batter then hit six and four off the last two to take MI to 115/3 at the halfway stage. With Varma batting until the last over, Axar didn’t return to bowl another over.

“Axar bowling to a left-hander [Tilak], the better option could have been to go after him,” Pandya said after the game. “I think it was just a little game awareness that we missed out. At the end of the day, that cost us the game.”

In total, Axar conceded 24 in his two overs. Kuldeep Yadav, DC’s other left-arm spinner, went for 47 in his three overs. He bowled four balls to Varma in the first two overs and saw four singles being given away. In the third, however, Tilak sent him for two sixes and two fours.

“The way the games are going and how the bowlers are under pressure throughout the competition, we backed ourselves to do it, the self-belief [was there],” Hardik said of MI’s hopes of pulling off the big chase. “But if I have to pinpoint, a couple overs in the middle, we could’ve taken some extra chances.”

Mumbai Indians are ninth in the IPL points table after nine matches played, winning three and losing six. Their next match is against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday (30 April).