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Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Mumbai Indians (MI) by six wickets at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in match 14 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) on Monday, April 1.
Rajasthan won the toss and elected to field first. Mumbai failed to make the most of the home advantage, registering a modest 125/9 in 20 overs.
Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma were the top performers with the bat, scoring 34 and 32, respectively.
Trent Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal were the pick of the bowlers, bagging three wickets each. Rajasthan lost a couple of early wickets in their run chase. However, Riyan Parag took his team to a comprehensive victory in 15.3 overs with an unbeaten 54-run knock.
Playing in his first match of the season, Mumbai pacer Akash Madhwal impressed many with his bowling, picking up three wickets while conceding just 20 runs in four overs. However, it wasn't enough for MI as they became the second team to lose a match at their home venue in IPL 2024.
With three losses from as many games, Mumbai continue to languish at the bottom of the standings. Rajasthan, on the other hand, are the table toppers after winning their first three matches.
Here, we take a look at three moments from the MI vs RR match that generated buzz among fans.
#1 Trent Boult running through MI's top order with a fiery opening spell
Trent Boult has been one of the best powerplay bowlers in the league's history and has consistently provided Rajasthan with early breakthroughs with the new ball.
The Kiwi once again made a significant impact at the start of the innings, sending back Rohit Sharma for a golden duck in the very first over. The former MI captain got out caught behind while trying to defend a length ball.
Boult struck again on the very next ball, trapping Naman Dhir in front of the wickets to get him out LBW. He dismissed yet another Mumbai batter for a golden duck, claiming the wicket of Dewald Brevis in his second over.
#2 Hardik Pandya redeeming himself by playing a captain's knock
Mumbai were in deep trouble after losing early wickets against Rajasthan. Skipper Hardik Pandya walked out to bat when Mumbai were 20/4 after 3.3 overs.
The talismanic all-rounder showcased great composure, giving Mumbai fans some hope with his quick-fire knock. He hit six fours during his stay at the crease, scoring 34 runs off 21 balls at a strike rate of 161.90.
Pandya's promising innings came to an end in the 10th over. He perished while trying to clear the long-on fence with a lofted shot off Yuzvendra Chahal's bowling. He failed to get the desired connection and was caught by Rovman Powell.
#3 Rohit Sharma asking Wankhede Crowd to stop booing Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya has received a massive backlash from fans since he took over the MI captaincy from Rohit Sharma ahead of IPL 2024. He was booed by fans during the team's first two games of the season.
Pandya got the same treatment even at the Wankhede Stadium, where the home team fans booed their skipper and cheered for the former captain. During Rajasthan's run chase, Sharma, who was fielding at the boundary, was seen calming the crowd and urging them to stop booing Pandya.
Sharma earned widespread praise for his gesture in support of Pandya, who has been subjected to a lot of hate and trolling of late.
