IPL 2024 | Twitter reacts to Sudharsan-Omarzai denying Hardik’s homecoming triumph in a humdinger

Winning the toss on his first day as a captain for MI, Hardik Pandya sent the Gujarat Titans to bat first at their home venue. Openers, Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill gave a brisk start with a 31-run stand before Jasprit Bumrah bowled the former with a jaffa. The host's No. 3 Sai Sudharsan entered the fray and produced some elegant strokes with Gill, to sum up a 47-run powerplay. Just when the GT skipper was transitioning into an attacking mode, he holed out to Rohit Sharma at long-on in the eighth over. Azmatullah Omarzai and Sudharsan added 40 runs to the third wicket before Gerald Coetzee outsmarted the Afghan all-rounder with the score reading 104/3 in 12 overs. Despite the platform being set for a big total, the GT lower middle order failed to capitalize as Bumrah removed Miller and Sudharsan in the 17th over to push the Titans on the back foot. With the scorecard reading 135/5, Rahul Tewatia produced a 22-run cameo including a 19-run 18th over to set up a GT total of 168/4 in 20 overs. 

In reply, MI got an early setback as Azmatullah Omarzai outsmarted Ishan Kishan in the first over, unaware of a Naman Dhir cameo of 10-ball 20 that countered GT before the Afghani struck in the third over again. With the score reading 30/2, Rohit Sharma (43) and impact player Dewald Brevis mixed caution with aggression and concluded the powerplay with 52 runs on board. The pair continued ticking the scorecard with rotation of strike, and a 17-run 10th over propelled the score to 88/2 halfway through the chase. The 67-run third wicket partnership came to an end in the 13th over with R Sai Kishore trapping him leg before wicket. While Mohit Sharma tried to build pressure from one end, Brevis fell prey to him in the 16th over in an attempt to up the ante. With seven runs coming between the 15 and 17th over, the equation got curtailed to 36 needed off the last three overs, and Mohit Sharma outfoxed big-hitter David. The Mumbai-based unit needed 26 from the last two overs and Varma smacked a six off the first ball of Spencer Johnson, only to get holed out in the deep the next ball. Losing yet another wicket and managing just two more runs, they needed 19 runs off the last over. While a six and four from Hardik in the first two balls gave hope, Umesh Yadav had the last laugh by scalping a couple and leaving them short by six runs.

Prince Shubman Gill is the future Indian Captain after Rohit Sharma.



That "Fu*k off" was a clear slap on Hardik Pandya face. 🔥pic.twitter.com/DZeik3q7Yg

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) March 25, 2024

That was so close!

What a match 🔥🔥Mumbai Indians lost 

Tilak Verma 

Tim David 

Hardik Pandya choked 



Rohit Sharma laughing on Karma 🌟🌟 pic.twitter.com/rfnz5clPTK

— ICT Fan (@Delphy06) March 24, 2024

Hardik was about to do it!

Hardik pandya in the dressing room #MIvsGT #chapripic.twitter.com/uVGbkICdUA

— rishu (@rishushukla1991) March 24, 2024

He is dealing it!

Rohit Sharma fans right now 😂😂#RohitSharma #HardikPandya #MIvsGT #gtvsmi #RRvLSG #LSGvRR pic.twitter.com/xhzTtA4FpY

— CricketComiX (@CricketComiX) March 24, 2024