The final overs of the IPL 2025 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians at Ekana Stadium on Friday were peculiar, unusual, and, in many ways, quite odd. It was a moment that made spectators question their own perceptions. In the 19th over, MI made the controversial choice to retire Tilak Varma, substituting him with Mitchell Santner when 24 runs were required from 7 balls. As fans and analysts sought to rationalize this 'strange' decision, MI captain Hardik Pandya further complicated matters by refusing a single in the last over, opting to retain the strike despite needing 14 runs from 4 balls. If Santner was brought in to hit big in place of Tilak, why would Hardik decline a single? What was the rationale behind retiring a key batsman like Tilak when his replacement was not reliable in such a critical moment?

With 14 runs needed from 3 balls, only boundaries could salvage MI's chances. Hardik received a well-placed delivery from Avesh Khan. On another occasion, he might have sent it soaring into the stands, but his aggressive swing caused him to lose his balance, resulting in an inside edge that struck his pads.

The subsequent delivery was a low full toss. Hardik's grip slipped, and he could only manage to push the ball to long-off. This time, he hesitantly opted for a single, but before he could complete the run, he realized it was futile. Retaining the strike proved to be of no benefit. The decisions made by MI in the final two overs of their 204-run chase against LSG ultimately backfired.

It is uncertain whether these thoughts crossed Hardik's mind as he cautiously made his way to the non-striker's end, but his frustrated bat throw conveyed a clear message. He seemed indifferent to reaching the other end, expressing his disappointment and anger as a captain unable to secure a victory.

"It is always disappointing to face a loss. To be candid, we conceded too many runs on the field, around 10-12 more than we should have. Ultimately, we fell short," stated Hardik, who remained not out with 28 runs off 16 balls, during the post-match presentation.

Hardik, who excelled with the ball by achieving his first five-wicket haul in the IPL, took full responsibility for MI's narrow 12-run defeat. "Today was simply one of those days. As a batting unit, we did not meet expectations. We celebrate victories as a team and accept losses as a team. I accept full responsibility," he remarked.

MI's chase appeared to be on track while Suryakumar Yadav was at the crease. However, after his dismissal for 67 runs off 43 balls at the start of the 17th over, the situation began to deteriorate for the five-time champions. Despite needing 12 runs per over, MI struggled to find boundaries. Tilak Varma faced 23 balls, managing only two fours, one of which came from a fortunate outside edge. The promising left-hander, known for being the only player globally to achieve a hat-trick of centuries in T20 cricket, had a challenging day, as he was unable to secure the boundaries he needed.

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