The 20th match of IPL 2025 between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was very exciting. Hardik Pandya-led MI lost the match by just 12 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. RCB scored 221 runs for 5 wickets on Monday and then restricted MI to 209 for 9.

After coming so close to victory, Hardik Pandya looked very upset. He said, “We again missed two big hits, and that cost us the match.” The 31-year-old star all-rounder also explained why MI fell behind in the run chase.

Hardik Pandya’s Explosive Knock Goes in Vain

Hardik Pandya batted explosively and scored 42 runs in just 15 balls. He shared a strong 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Tilak Verma, who made 56 runs off 29 balls. As long as both were at the crease, the match looked in Mumbai’s favor. However, MI ended up losing their fourth match out of five in this IPL 2025 season.

Hardik Pandya Upset After Close Loss

After the loss to RCB, Hardik said, “The wicket was really good for batting. We again missed two big hits. I don’t have much to say. It was tough for bowlers to bowl on such a pitch. If there were 12 runs less, the result might have been different (laughs).”

Hardik Defends Tilak Verma and Explains Team Strategy

Tilak Verma’s retired out against Lucknow Super Giants had created a lot of buzz. Now, Hardik praised Tilak and said, “Tilak performed brilliantly. There was a lot of talk about him in the last game, but it was a tactical decision. Powerplay is very important. We didn’t score in some overs today, and that’s why we fell behind in the chase.”

Why Naman Dheer Batted Lower This Time

Hardik also explained why Naman Dheer was sent to bat at number seven. He said, “Rohit Sharma was not available in the last match due to a knee problem, so Naman batted higher. When Rohit returned, Naman went back to his usual lower order position.”

RCB’s Big Total and Patidar’s Praise for Bowlers

RCB posted a huge score, thanks to strong half-centuries from captain Rajat Patidar (64 off 32 balls) and Virat Kohli (67 off 42 balls). Rajat Patidar was named Player of the Match. After RCB’s third win of the season, he said, “The courage with which our bowlers bowled is commendable. This award goes to the entire bowling unit.”

Krunal Pandya’s Magical Last Over

Mumbai needed 19 runs in the final over, but Krunal Pandya bowled brilliantly, giving away only 6 runs and taking 3 wickets. Patidar praised him saying, “The way Krunal bowled in the last over was fantastic. It’s very difficult to bowl like that in such conditions.”