Kasa Kay, Paltan! Our IPL 2024 campaign might have ended, and it’s okay if you’re still reeling under the disappointment. Here’s our attempt to cheer you up, as we look back over these last two months, at each of our 14 games, and pull out the best moments in the Blue and Gold. We'll hold onto these awesome memories as we build on them, and bounce back stronger next year.

1: MI vs GT - Jasprit Bumrah kicks off IPL 2024 with a bang

Paltan, when it comes to being a dependable bowler season after season, you cannot look beyond Jasprit Bumrah, can you? Boom kept delivering consistently, and he kicked off IPL 2024 with a spectacular performance. In our opening match against the Gujarat Titans, he struck early by dismissing Wriddhiman Saha. Then, during the crucial final overs, he claimed the vital wickets of David Miller and Sai Sudharsan, bagging three wickets for just 14 runs. Though we didn't clinch the victory that day, his display remains unforgettable.

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2: SRH vs MI - Our batters nearly pull off thrilling record chase 

In the annals of IPL history, Paltan, this game will be etched in our memories forever, for showing the world the MI Spirit of never giving up. Sunrisers Hyderabad had a stellar day with the bat, led by Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen, who all batted splendidly. They piled on a daunting 277 runs - the then-highest ever IPL total - setting us a challenging target. Yet, we refused to surrender. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan set the stage on fire with a brilliant opening partnership. Then, Tilak Varma, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd joined forces to keep our hopes alive, propelling us to a commendable 246, and for a large portion of the innings, keeping the asking rate within check. 

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3: MI vs RR - Akash Madhwal's three-wicket haul sparks hope for a miraculous turnaround

We faced a formidable challenge against the Rajasthan Royals in our third match of the season. Despite managing only 125 runs in our 20 overs, Akash Madhwal's exceptional spell infused hope into our team. Playing his first game of the season, he truly shone. Beginning with the crucial wicket of Sanju Samson, he swiftly followed it up with the dismissal of Jos Buttler. Later, he claimed the scalp of Ravi Ashwin to finish with impressive figures of 3/20 in his four overs. However, despite Madhwal's heroics, Rajasthan Royals emerged victorious, winning by six wickets. 

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4: MI vs DC - Romario Shepherd goes ballistic

If there's one over that stands out in this IPL for MI, it's Anrich Nortje's showdown with Romario Shepherd in our fourth match. Initially, batting seemed on track for us to reach around 210, but Shepherd had different intentions. Nortje, tasked with bowling the final over of the innings, faced a barrage of hits as Shepherd unleashed his power. Aamchi Paltan at the Wankhede Stadium witnessed a stunning display, with 4, 6, 6, 6, 4, 6 being smashed, totaling an incredible 32 runs, propelling our score to 234. On a special ESA day, we secured our first win of the season, by 29 runs!

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5: RCB vs MI - Bumrah and SKY dominate RCB in convincing victory

Jasprit Bumrah and breathtaking spells - quite a love story!  In our fifth match, he showcased some more brilliance. It was nothing short of sensational, claiming 5 wickets while conceding just 21 runs. This marked his second 5-wicket haul in the IPL, and it couldn't have come at a more opportune moment. The game also witnessed Suryakumar Yadav's remarkable return to form. He blazed a trail with 52 runs off just 19 balls, steering us to a comfortable chase.

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6: CSK vs MI – The Hitman magic mesmerizes Wankhede

The Hitman was at his finest against our arch-rivals, the Chennai Super Kings. Facing a big target of 206, Rohit Sharma unleashed an explosive performance, hammering 105 runs off just 63 balls, studded with 11 fours and 5 sixes. His brilliant innings kept us in the hunt until the very end, but CSK ultimately triumphed by 20 runs. This was Rohit’s second IPL century, his first dating back to 2012 against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

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7: MI vs PBKS - Ishan Kishan's run-out leaves us in awe!

The match against the Punjab Kings was a thrilling encounter, and we emerged victorious. Ashutosh Sharma reignited PBKS's hopes with a blistering 61 off just 28 balls, leaving Punjab needing 12 runs in the final over, chasing 193. Rabada posed a serious threat, but Ishan Kishan's brilliance sealed the deal. Rabada drove the ball to deep point and attempted a second run. Nabi collected it and hurled it back to Kishan, who ran to the stumps and executed a stunning run-out. Rabada fell short, and we clinched the win by 9 runs.

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8: MI vs RR - Tilak and Nehal steady the ship after a shaky start!

Paltan, how thrilled were you with the performance of our youngsters, Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera? We found ourselves in trouble at 52 for 4, but Nehal and Tilak turned the game around with a brilliant 99-run partnership. Nehal smashed 49 off just 24 balls, while Tilak reached a well-deserved fifty. Thanks to their efforts, we posted a total of 179 in our 20 overs. However, it sadly wasn’t enough, as Yashasvi Jaiswal's century led Rajasthan to victory by 9 wickets.

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9: DC vs MI: Hardik Pandya's batting ignites hope in 257-run chase

Hardik Pandya hit form with the bat against the Delhi Capitals in Delhi. After DC set a daunting target of 257, we needed a heroic effort, and Pandya delivered. He smashed 46 runs off just 24 balls, hitting his stride at the perfect moment. Despite our narrow 10-run loss, the captain’s performance instilled a lot of confidence in the team. 

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10: MI vs LSG: Hardik Pandya's spectacular bowling display!

Hardik Pandya's dazzling display lit up the Ekana stadium! We set a target of 145 runs against the Lucknow Super Giants, banking on a stellar bowling performance to defend it. Our skipper stepped up, dismissing KL Rahul (28) and later Deepak Hooda (18), finishing with a commendable 2/26 to cause a bit of a flutter in the chase. However, Marcus Stoinis' exceptional 62 led the LSG to victory despite his efforts.

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11: KKR vs MI: Nuwan Thushara’s masterclass leaves us spellbound!

In his first IPL season, Nuwan Thushara impressed with his bowling against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Bowling first, Thushara took three key wickets in quick succession in the powerplay itself: Phil Salt, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Shreyas Iyer shaking up the KKR lineup. Things slipped away from our hands post that though, as Kolkata managed to score 169 runs, thanks mainly to Venkatesh Iyer's 70, and our team fell short despite Suryakumar Yadav's fighting knock of 56.

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12: SRH vs MI: Suryakumar Yadav's spectacular knock steals the show at Wankhede

It was time for Suryakumar Yadav to showcase his brilliance. With a target of 174 to chase, our team faced early setbacks at 31 for 3 and seemed to be in trouble. However, SKY remained unfazed and continued to score boundaries effortlessly. He crafted a magnificent innings, scoring 102 runs in just 51 balls, guiding us to victory in 17.2 overs. This remarkable performance marked SKY's second century in the IPL.

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13: KKR vs MI: Piyush Chawla's vintage performance evokes nostalgia!

In another gripping match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Piyush Chawla showcased why he's among the IPL's top leg spinners. In a shortened 16-over game, Chawla claimed crucial wickets, dismissing Venkatesh Iyer for 42 and the formidable Andre Russell for 24. His impressive figures of 2 for 28 played a key role in limiting Kolkata to 157 runs. Sadly, we fell short by 18 runs in the end.

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14: LSG vs MI: Rohit Sharma and Naman Dhir light up Mumbai for one final time in IPL 2024

In the season's final league match, Rohit Sharma showcased his T20 World Cup form with an impressive performance. Lucknow Super Giants set a challenging target of 214, boosted by Nicholas Pooran's quickfire 75 off just 29 balls. Rohit Sharma led our reply brilliantly, scoring 68 runs from 38 deliveries to provide us with a strong start. Naman Dhir also contributed significantly with the bat, smashing 62 runs off just 28 balls. Despite their efforts, we ultimately fell short by 18 runs in a hard-fought contest.