Ishan Kishan
Mumbai Indians’ star batter Ishan Kishan and spinner Kumar Kartikeya found themselves donning superhero jumpsuits as part of their punishment for tardiness following the team’s departure from Mumbai after their IPL 2024 encounter against the Rajasthan Royals. This light-hearted penalty, a tradition upheld by the five-time champions MI for latecomers to team meetings, saw Kishan and Kartikeya, along with two other players, sporting the amusing attire, as shared in a video uploaded on social media with the caption “Punishment jumpsuits are back.”
In the match itself, pace bowler Trent Boult’s remarkable performance stole the show, claiming figures of 3 for 22, setting up a convincing six-wicket triumph for the Rajasthan Royals. His exceptional left-arm pace stifled the Mumbai Indians’ batting lineup, restricting them to a mere 125-9. Rajasthan Royals chased down the target comfortably with 27 balls to spare, securing their third win of the season in as many matches.
Despite the change in leadership, with Hardik Pandya assuming captaincy in place of the seasoned Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians suffered their third defeat, keeping them rooted to the bottom of the 10-team IPL table. Pandya himself endured a challenging evening, encountering boos from the home crowd during the toss, prompting a reminder from presenter Sanjay Manjrekar to “behave.”
Reflecting on the loss, Pandya acknowledged the team’s failure to start as they intended. While Pandya top-scored with 34 runs, he admitted that his dismissal proved pivotal in their decline. Expressing his disappointment, Pandya stated, “I wanted to counter, we were in a decent position to reach 150-160, but my wicket allowed them to gain momentum. I needed to contribute more.”
On the other side, Rajasthan’s Riyan Parag continued his impressive form, smashing an unbeaten 54 off 39 balls, securing his second consecutive half-century and steering the team to victory with two sixes and a boundary. The Rajasthan bowlers complemented their batting effort, with Yuzvendra Chahal’s leg-spin claiming 3 for 11, further tightening the grip on the match. Boult’s fiery opening spell set the tone, laying the groundwork for Rajasthan’s dominant display and ensuring Mumbai’s continued struggles in the tournament.
