'MS Dhoni hit 3 sixes, but.."- Kieron Pollard bluntly defends Hardik Pandya's final over fiasco

Updated - 15 Apr 2024, 05:13 PM

Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya (Credits: Twitter)

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Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard has defended Hardik Pandya over his expensive final over in the MI vs CSK match of IPL 2024. Kieron Pollard noted that anyone could have gone for 20 runs in the final over.

Hardik Pandya leaked 26 runs off MI’s 20th over vs Chennai Super Kings, thanks to a magnificent cameo by MS Dhoni. The CSK wicketkeeper arrived to bat with 4 more balls to go. MS Dhoni capitalized the over well, thundering 3 sixes and a double off the four deliveries.

With MS Dhoni’s marvelous knock of unbeaten 20 off 4, CSK piled up a gigantic total of 206-4 vs Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah had conceded just 7 runs in the prior 19th over to restrict CSK to 180-3 with one more over to go.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma vs Hardik Pandya debate leaves Australian legend unfazed

Kieron Pollard defends Hardik Pandya on expensive last over

During the post-match press conference, Mumbai Indians batting coach Kieron Pollard hailed MS Dhoni for his fantastic cameo in the match.

"Which player, it doesn't matter MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya. You have plans on how you want to bowl to them, you go back and see if you executed them or not. But then again, MS is world class. For years and years, we see him walking onto the stadiums. We are all in awe of what he has accomplished. So again, the scoreline is 22 runs, that is the difference” he said.

Kieron Pollard, a former MI member, also defended Hardik Pandya for his expensive final over. He noted that anyone could’ve leaked 20 runs in the last over.

“Cricket is much more than what we see at the end. I think that is where we as individuals need to educate ourselves. Yes, he hit three sixes. 20-odd runs in the last over. But anyone could have gone for 20 runs in the last over. So for us, it's much deeper than that," Pollard further added.

Interestingly, Hardik Pandya bowled brilliant first two overs, conceding 17 runs with 1 wicket. However, his decision to bowl the final over proved a debacle. He ended with 43 runs off his 3-over spell, leaking runs at an economy of 14.30.

Also Read: Brett Lee bulldozes Hardik Pandya after this haunting mistake vs CSK

CSK crush MI by 20 runs

Talking about the match, CSK crushed MI by 20 runs. Batting first, CSK lost openers Ajinkya Rahane (5) and Rachin Ravindra cheaply (21). However, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube held their patience on the crease, hitting 69 and 66* respectively.

Towards the end, MS Dhoni's marvelous cameo helped the visitors to dominate MI with a mammoth target. For Mumbai Indians, opener Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma gave a brilliant start with a 70-run stand in 7 overs.

Sharma went on to smash an unbeaten century of 105*. However, MI lost key batters like Suryakumar Yadav (0), Tilak Varma (31), Hardik Pandya (2), and Tim David (13) cheaply. In the end, the home team could only reach 186-6.

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