Mumbai Indians created controversy in one important IPL match Retired Tilak Verma Chasing a target of 204 runs during the 19th over. The decision made with 24 runs needed 7 balls, widely criticized fans and former cricketers, despite their strategic intentions to accelerate scoring.
The strategic move came when Tilak Verma was struggling to maintain momentum at the crease. Hardik’s decision to retire him and bring him into a fresh batsman for the final overs surprised the audience.
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The decision immediately triggered backlash on social media platforms. Cricket enthusiasts questioned the fairness of withdrawing a set batsman, expressing concern about its possible impact on the player’s confidence.
Former cricket stars Harbhajan Singh, Hanuman Vihari, Robin Singh and Irfan Pathan voiced their rejection on social media. He emphasized that the team’s rhythm can be interrupted by retiring a settled batsman during the pressure situation.
The effectiveness of the strategy became a major discussion point after Mumbai’s 12 -run defeat.
Harbhajan posted on X: “It was a mistake in my opinion to retire Tilak for a center. Is there a better hitter than Santner Tilak? If it was for Pollard or some other skillful hitter, I would have understood. But it would not have agreed.”
Vihari himself questioned the move and further moved forward to ask why Pandya himself was not taken to look good.
“Tilak Verma retired for Santner ???
Irfan Pathan posted, “Tilak Verma retired N Santner? I don’t mean anything. What do you guys think?”
Robin Singh also questioned at the time of the move, assuming that it should have been done soon – if at all.
“Unresolved inauguration pair @MipalTan continues to bother Mumbai Indians in @TataPl25. If Tilak Verma had a decision to retire, it might have been done earlier?”, “He posted on X.
In the post -match press conference, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene said it was his decision to retire Tilak.
“He wanted to go to the bus, but he couldn’t,” Jayawardene said. “(We) were waiting for the last few overs, hoping that (he would find his rhythm), as he spent some time there, so he should have been able to get out of that path, but I just felt that in the end, I just needed to refresh someone, and he was struggling.
“These things happen in cricket. It is not good to take it out, but I had to do so, it was a strategic decision at that point.”
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