Mumbai, April 17: In a thrilling IPL 2026 match held at Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Indians (MI) faced off against the Punjab Kings. Punjab secured a convincing 7-wicket victory, placing them at the top of the points table. This defeat marked the fourth loss for MI in five matches. Following the game, head coach Mahela Jayawardene expressed that the team is still searching for its spark.
After the match, Jayawardene stated, “I don’t think the burden of loss rests solely on Hardik. When we perform poorly, it’s a collective responsibility. It falls on me, everyone in management, and all players to find ways to improve.”
He added, “I know we are playing good cricket, but other teams are performing much better. When they start strong, their confidence skyrockets. We need to control what we can and secure some wins to regain our rhythm.”
Jayawardene noted, “The four games we lost—two away and two at home—were all different. We made some changes, some due to injuries. While we have improved in certain areas, our bowling remains a concern. We need to work harder on that.”
When asked about Jasprit Bumrah, who hasn’t taken a wicket in the last five matches, Jayawardene replied, “I think he is bowling well. We are not applying pressure during the powerplay. Opposing batsmen know they can’t take risks against Bumrah. I can’t point fingers as to why he hasn’t taken wickets. We are assessing what we can do.”
He continued, “Sometimes, a bit of luck is needed. Another bowler is taking wickets and finding match-ups he is comfortable with. Early on, he bowled well to Shreyas but wasn’t lucky. I believe once he starts taking wickets, he will be unstoppable.”
Regarding Rohit Sharma‘s return, he mentioned that management is not rushing his comeback. The season has just begun, and they want to avoid putting too much pressure on Rohit.
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P.K.
