After missing several matches in IPL 2026 due to a back spasm, Hardik Pandya returned to action for the Mumbai Indians during their crucial clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Although MI suffered a disappointing four-wicket defeat, the all-rounder admitted he thoroughly enjoyed bowling on a surface that finally offered assistance to bowlers in a tournament largely dominated by batters.
The rain-affected encounter turned into a gripping low-scoring contest, with only 295 runs scored and 14 wickets falling across both innings. Unlike the batting-friendly tracks often seen in the IPL, the Eden Gardens pitch offered movement, grip, and variable bounce, making strokeplay difficult throughout the night.
Reflecting on the conditions after the match, Hardik Pandya expressed concern over how modern T20 cricket has increasingly tilted in favour of batters.
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“I don’t mind playing on these kinds of wickets where bowlers actually have something to work with,” Hardik Pandya said after the game. “IPL has become very batting-dominant, and bowlers are often left helpless. Today’s pitch brought bowlers back into the contest, forced batters to think harder, and made every run valuable. Personally, I enjoyed that challenge.”
Pandya bowled a tidy spell of 0/13 from his two overs and helped MI remain competitive while defending a below-par total of 147. At one stage, KKR were under pressure at 73/3 after nine overs, with MI appearing firmly in control of the chase.
However, Mumbai’s fielding woes once again proved costly. The five-time champions dropped two crucial catches in successive overs, allowing Manish Pandey and Rovman Powell to build a match-winning 64-run partnership that shifted the momentum completely in KKR’s favour. Pandya openly admitted that poor fielding has hurt Mumbai throughout IPL 2026.
“We’ve struggled badly in the field this season,” he said. “When you want to win close matches, you simply cannot afford to drop chances. Even half-chances matter in games like these. Once you miss those opportunities, you end up chasing the game.”
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The MI skipper also accepted that the batting unit failed to put enough runs on the board. Pandya scored 26 off 27 balls, while Tilak Varma managed 20 from 32 deliveries on a difficult pitch.
“We were probably 15-20 runs short,” Hardik Pandya concluded. “If Tilak or I had batted deeper, the result could have been different.”
