NEW DELHI: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has raised concerns over the Mumbai Indians’ overall performance in their 18-run defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, pointing out that the problems began well before the run chase, when the bowlers conceded 240 runs.
Chasing a daunting 241 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai fell short despite a late surge, finishing at 222/5. However, Pathan stressed that conceding such a massive total had already put the side on the back foot.
“There are concerns with the batting, no doubt, but the bigger issue starts with conceding 240. Having said that, chasing 241 on a pitch like this, you still expect them to get closer. The problem was the lack of a solid start in the Powerplay and losing wickets early, which put pressure on the middle order. In the middle overs, there were phases where they could have gone big but didn’t. Hardik Pandya got runs but never looked in full control, Tilak Varma has now had a few quiet innings, and players like Rickelton need to find more options against spin. Those small gaps made the difference, ” Pathan told JioStar.