Mumbai Indians’ (MI) pace spearhead Deepak Chahar couldn’t hold back his frustration after back-to-back fielding lapses by teammates Will Jacks and Karn Sharma in the very first over against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, April 17. What could’ve been a dream start for the hosts quickly turned into a missed opportunity, as both Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma survived some sloppy efforts in the field.
Having won the toss and opted to bowl first, with dew likely to assist the chase later, MI were banking on their new-ball pairing of Chahar and Trent Boult to strike early. But just one ball into the innings, the first crack showed. Abhishek edged a length delivery from Chahar, which flew straight to Will Jacks at slip. Jacks leapt to take it overhead but couldn’t hold on. Chahar’s immediate reaction — visibly furious — made it clear just how costly that miss could be.
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Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. On the fourth ball of the over, Chahar once again created an opportunity. Travis Head flicked a full delivery on the leg stump toward mid-wicket, where Karn Sharma was stationed. Though he managed to get his fingertips on the ball, a committed dive could’ve made all the difference. Instead, the lack of urgency let another chance go begging. Chahar, already fired up, could only watch in disbelief.
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) April 17, 2025
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) April 17, 2025
These two errors marked a rare and unwanted record — only the second time in IPL history that MI have dropped two or more catches in the first over of an innings. The only other instance? Back in 2013, also at Wankhede, against Chennai Super Kings.
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Such lapses in the field not only deflate the bowler but can also shift momentum early in a match, especially against explosive openers like Head and Abhishek. While MI have struggled to make early inroads this season, these missed chances perfectly summed up their powerplay woes in IPL 2025.
As the league progresses, MI will be desperate to tighten their fielding and back their bowlers when it matters most.
