IPL 2024: MI at the moment are not playing as a team, says Irfan Pathan

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan made scathing criticism of Mumbai Indians' captain Hardik Pandya after their disappointing loss to Kolkata Knight Riders by 24 runs on Friday night.

Pathan highlighted key moments where he believed MI faltered, particularly focusing on Pandya's decision-making on the field. The use of Naman Dhir for three crucial overs when KKR was struggling at 57/5 raised eyebrows, with Pathan suggesting it cost ME dearly by 20 runs, allowing KKR to post a daunting total of 170.

“Mumbai Indians' story is finished in the IPL 2024. They were a very good team on paper but they have not been managed well. Questions on Hardik Pandya's captaincy are absolutely valid. Today when KKR were 57/5, you bowled 3 bowlers of Naman Dhir. You bowled your sixth bowler, let KKR form a crucial partnership between Manish Pandey and Venkatesh Iyer. The 83-run partnership took KKR to 170 when they should have only got to 150 and that turned out to be the point of difference," Irfan Pathan said on Instagram.

Pathan's criticism didn't stop there. He delved into the dynamics within the MI camp, suggesting that the team lacked cohesion and unity, hinting at possible rifts or factions within the squad. He emphasized the significance of player acceptance of the captain's authority, insinuating that this may be lacking in the current MI setup.

“Cricket is a game where captaincy and management is crucial and MI at the moment are not playing as a team and that's the biggest talking point of the season for MI. It is important for the players to accept their captain and I don't think it has happened for MI this season," Pathan further added.

MI find themselves languishing at the bottom of the league table, with just six points from eleven games.