"Hardik Pandya did play slow for sure but it was required at that stage" - Aakash Chopra on Mumbai Indians' IPL 2024 win vs Delhi Capitals

Aakash Chopra has noted that Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya played a slow knock in their IPL 2024 clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC). However, he feels a slightly cautious approach was the need of the hour.

Hardik scored a 33-ball 39 as MI set DC a mammoth 235-run target in Mumbai on Sunday, April 7. The home team then restricted Rishabh Pant and company to 205/8 to register a 29-run win and open their account in the tournament.

Reflecting on the Mumbai Indians' innings in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Hardik and Tim David (45* off 21) for bailing them out of a slight spot of bother.

"The wheels got stuck in the middle. Suddenly it seemed like it wouldn't work out because Tilak Varma also got out. Ishan Kishan had also gotten out after Rohit Sharma. They were 121/4 at one stage. The team was stuck and they needed a good partnership there," he explained (11:55).

"Hardik Pandya was there with Tim David. Hardik Pandya did play slow for sure but it was required at that stage because if one more wicket had fallen, the game was done and dusted. Then Mohammad Nabi would have had to come up the order. However, they played there and took the game deeper," the former India opener added.

Chopra lauded Romario Shepherd for taking Anrich Nortje to the cleaners in the final over.

"Tim David then started hitting sixes. Anrich Nortje was thrashed - 32 runs in the last over. Romario Shepherd - we used to play a game in our childhood - Super Mario. He kept hitting like Super Mario. Shepherd did an incredible job," he said.

Shepherd smashed an unbeaten 39 off just 10 deliveries. He smoked Nortje for four sixes and two fours in the last over to help MI set an imposing target for DC.

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"When Rohit Sharma bats like this, he does it differently" - Aakash Chopra lauds Mumbai Indians opener

Rohit Sharma smashed 49 runs off 27 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra also appreciated Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan for giving the Mumbai Indians a flying start.

"The way Mumbai started with the bat, they were flying rockets. How well was Rohit Sharma batting. When Rohit Sharma bats like this, he does it differently. He didn't score a half-century - no problem whatsoever, because you become breathless when you start reading their batting lineup, even Gerald Coetzee bats," he stated (11:15).

"So everyone should keep hitting. That's what he started doing and Ishan Kishan was there with him. Both reached close to their fifties but got out. Axar Patel started picking up wickets," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

Rohit and Kishan (42 off 23) added 80 runs for the first wicket in just seven overs. Although the Mumbai Indians lost a flurry of wickets and were reduced to 121/4, Hardik Pandya and Tim David's repair job, as well as Romario Shepherd's explosive hitting, eventually took them to a winning total.