IPL 2018: Watch - Hardik Pandya Left Furious After Mayank Markande Dropped Robin Uthappa
The position Mumbai Indians are in at the moment, they cannot afford even a single mistake on the field.
Prior to the ongoing game against Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions had won only three games in nine outings. Another defeat could all but end their slim hopes of making it to the playoffs.
Well, the hosts began the proceedings brightly. Suryakumar Yadav and Evin Lewis added 91 runs off just 55 balls to give the reigning champions a flying start. Andre Russell then gave Kolkata the much-needed breakthrough by dismissing his compatriot Lewis.
The southpaw scored 43 off 28 and added 91 runs off 55 balls with Suryakumar. Mumbai entered the three-digit mark in the eleventh over. Suryakumar soon completed his fifty off 31 deliveries. Sunil Narine then accounted for the dangerous Rohit Sharma to deal a huge blow to the hosts.
Andre Russell then sent back Suryakumar for 59 to reduce Mumbai to 127 for three. At the end of the 15th over, Mumbai were 132 for three with both Pandya brothers ??? Hardik and Krunal in the middle.
However, Krunal, Mumbai???s hero in the last game, could not do much and departed after scoring 14. Hardik and JP Duminy then shared an unbeaten stand of runs to guide Mumbai to a challenging 181 for five.
Mumbai also started the proceedings with the ball brightly and had Kolkata reeling at 28 for two. Mumbai then had the chance to reduce Kolkata to 44 for three in the sixth over. However, Mayank Markande dropped an absolute sitter when Robin Uthappa was batting on just four. Uthappa mistimed a slower ball from Hardik Pandya which went straight to Markande at mid-on.
However, Markande went reverse cup and ended up dropping the catch. Furious with the drop, Pandya could not contain his anger and was seen shouting furiously at the youngster.
Meanwhile, Uthappa went on make Mumbai pay for that drop by scoring his first fifty off the season. He scored 54 off 35 before being sent back by Markande only.