Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya on Monday urged his team to show more “discipline” and “courage” after suffering their third consecutive defeat in IPL 2024 ” to turn the situation around. When asked to bat, MI faltered by scoring just 20 runs in 4 games. By the fourth round, they could not recover from their disastrous start, scoring just 125 runs in nine of the allotted 20 overs. In reply, Rajasthan Royals smashed the target in 27 balls and won by 6 wickets. “We didn’t start the way we wanted and tonight was a difficult night,” Hardik told broadcasters after the game.

“The results, sometimes they happen and sometimes they don’t. I think it doesn’t surprise me anymore. But as a team we believe we can achieve a lot of better things in the future, we just have to be more disciplined and show more courage. “

It was Hardik’s 21-ball 34 that propelled MI’s total. But things started going downhill after he was sent back by Yuzvendra Chahal.

“I thought we were in a good position that gave us a chance to get to 150 or 160, but I think my wicket changed the game and got them more involved and I thought I could have done better,” he explain.

The bowlers had a good day at the office with Chahal (3/11) and Trent Boult (3/22) picking up the win for RR.

“It’s also good to give something to the bowlers. This sport is pretty brutal for bowlers. But this is unexpected. It’s all about doing the right things,” Hardik said.

RR captain Sanju Samson said the toss played a crucial role in deciding the fate of the match.

“(The toss) I think is a game changer. The toss is very critical. I felt it was too sticky at the start and we had the experience of Trent Boult and Nand Berg’s pace,” Samson said .

“(Bolt) has been playing international cricket for a long time and we hope he can make a difference. I didn’t expect four or five wickets to be taken but it was great.

“We all play our roles and move on. Guys like Ashwin know we have a good powerplay, so he doesn’t go for the wickets and just keeps it tight. So it’s about teamwork. Chasing 126 runs to win, RR were reduced to 48 for three in the seventh over but Riyan Parag smashed 39 balls for 54 not out, his second consecutive fifty of the season , taking the team home.

“I’ve actually simplified everything and not tried to do a lot of things. Earlier, when I wasn’t running, I would try a lot of different things. This year, it’s just watching the ball and batting,” Parag said .

“When I was playing domestically, that was the exact situation I entered with the bat. When Jos (Jos Buttler) bhai and Ash (R Ashwin) bhai quit, I said to myself, this is it What I did in domestic cricket. So that’s what I did the math on.

On the difference between domestic cricket and the IPL, Parag said: “I haven’t played for three-four years. When you go back to the hotel room and think, you know you can do it, but the results don’t come, You return to the living room.

“I realized I wasn’t up to that level, so I just did it.” Boult was awarded Man of the Match for his three wickets in the powerplay, two of which – Roche Sharma and Naman Dhir – won first place.

“Never say it was a formal certainty but it was great to get the wicket. We created pressure early and it was nice to take some wickets and happy the result went our way,” he explain.

Bolt also called South Africa’s Nandre Burger a “great discovery.”

“Bowling with great skill and playing with heart and soul. Sandeep obviously missed his chance but he will play a big role this season. It’s great to be a part of this bowling attack.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)