Mumbai Indians see tenth defeat in IPL 2026; Hardik Pandya gives a chirpy response

The Mumbai Indians skipper didn’t look much bothered after the team suffered another defeat in the season.

Mumbai Indians (MI) didn’t play to be remembered this season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team saw more defeats than wins, ending their campaign with 10th defeat. However, skipper Hardik Pandyalooked unfazed after the team’s defeat against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, even after MI finishing in 9th spot on the points table.

Rajasthan Royals put up a strong fight.

After winning the toss, Hardik Pandya chose to bowl first, hoping to restrict the Rajasthan Royals under the afternoon heat in Mumbai. While MI managed to pick up wickets at regular intervals, RR still posted an imposing total of 205 runs, thanks to timely partnerships and a strong finish in the death overs. Mumbai’s chase never really looked in control. Early wickets during the powerplay pushed them on the back foot, and despite a few aggressive cameos, the pressure kept mounting. They eventually fell short by 30 runs, ending their season on a disappointing note. Speaking after the match, Pandya admitted that MI probably allowed 10-15 extra runs during Rajasthan’s innings. “It was definitely chaseable. We just lost too many wickets early, and then it became a catch-up game,” he said.

More on what Hardik said post-match.

One area where Hardik looked confident was with the bat. The MI skipper scored a quick 34 off just 15 balls and briefly gave Rajasthan a scare with his aggressive strokeplay. His confidence during the post-match presentation perhaps reflected his satisfaction at having contributed personally, even if the team result didn’t go their way. “When I went in to bat, the pitch felt good. The ball was coming nicely onto the bat. We just couldn’t control the death overs properly. Giving away 73 runs in the last five overs hurt us badly,” Pandya explained. Interestingly, Hardik did not bowl a single over in the match. During the game, cameras caught him stretching on the field, sparking speculation about a possible injury. However, he quickly dismissed those doubts with a light-hearted remark. “Everything is fine. I bat, I bowl, I field, I skip (he meant captaincy)… so it’s okay if I just bat and enjoy myself sometimes,” he joked.

The Mumbai Indians have now endured two poor seasons in the last three years under his leadership, finishing 10th in 2024, making the playoffs in 2025, and ending ninth this year.