With a comprehensive 40-run win over the Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians not only avenged their defeat but also jumped ahead of them in the points table to move to the second spot. It was a good toss to win where Rohit Sharma read the pitch well and opted to bat first. A head-start from our openers, a late Hardik burst and a clinical bowling display started our journey on the road with a win.

Krunal Pandya, who was once again promoted up the order, to deal with the Delhi spinners spoke to the media after the match.

“It was a tricky wicket while batting. We were aiming for a total of around 140 and not 170. The way Hardik batted changed the momentum for us. We ended up with 20-30 extra runs. While bowling we knew how the wicket was. Our bowlers knew how to bowl.”

Krunal took his time in the middle but top-scored with 37 runs and 5 boundaries. On his partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, the southpaw stated that they never fancied the 9-10 run over and only wanted to set the platform for Pollard and Hardik.

The Pandya brothers shared a 54-run stand for the 5th wicket which eventually proved to be a match-winning partnership. The duo clobbered 51 runs in the last three overs to swing the momentum in favour of the visitors.

When questioned if there is any brotherly competition between the two, senior Pandya said, “It never happens between us, whenever we bat together, the motive is always to score runs.”

Krunal was in high praise for his younger brother. “He has worked a lot on his fitness when he was out. Cricket was always his priority. The work ethics that I see in him, I have seen in very few cricketers. The best part about Hardik I like is his never give up attitude. He is very dedicated to his cricket since the age of 14-15. He has always been adding to his game”.

Krunal not only batted well but cleaned up Colin Munro and gave away just 7 runs in his two overs. During that spell, he tried bowling a round-arm action. “We need to do something different and innovative because nowadays the players are highly skilled. One must try something different and that is what I intended to do when Rishabh Pant came to bat,” Krunal concluded.