‘Bowling group not up to par’: Pandya’s immediate thoughts after loss to RR

mumbai indians team leader Hardik Pandya He blamed his bowling team after 27-run defeat rajasthan royals Due to rainfall restrictions, IPL 2026 matches will be played at the ACA Stadium in 11-a-side format.Mumbai opted to bowl first and failed to make early progress in the opener against Rajasthan, Yashasvi Jaiswal Teen star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launched brutal attack. The duo got off to a good start for RR, scoring 56 runs in just 3.2 overs of the Power-play. Jaiswal’s unbeaten 77 off 32 balls and Sooryavanshi’s quickfire 39 off 14 balls helped Rajasthan post a daunting 150/3 in 11 overs.Chasing 151 runs, Mumbai’s batting line-up collapsed under the pressure. The match fell to 46/5 early on, after which they never recovered and ended up trailing by 27 runs at 123/9.Hardik Pandya blames bowling teamSpeaking after the match, Pandya admitted that the bowlers failed to execute their plan. He highlighted that the team conceded too many boundaries in the initial overs, allowing RR to take control of the game.“We didn’t perform what we were supposed to perform. They bowled well. The bowlers need to take responsibility. As a bowling group, we were not up to par. They bowled well too,” Pandya said in his post-match speech.Pandya said he does not blame the batsmen for the lack of runs scored in the powerplay. “I’m not going to put the blame on the batting. It’s certainly the bowling team, they have to take the blame. It’s always about bowling those good shots. If we execute, we’ll be in the game. Their start cost us the game and we were chasing it,” he added.When asked about what it was like to bat as a teenager for RR, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Pandya said: “It was fascinating to see a 17 or 16-year-old boy (15) batting in this way. What’s amazing is the way he hits the ball and his fearlessness. Wish him good luck in the future. “Pandya refused to be dismayed by the results and said they would learn from their mistakes. “Learn from your mistakes. Tomorrow morning will come and the sun will rise, ready for the next game,” he said.Mumbai Indians next matchMumbai Indians next face Royal Challengers Bangalore at their home venue, Wankhede Stadium. While Mumbai have historically dominated this venue, with eight wins over Bengaluru, RCB enter this game with confidence as defending champions having won four of their last six games against MI.