Twitter Reactions: Hardik Pandya becomes first -ever IPL captain to pick five-wicket haul

Mumbai Indians’ skipper, Hardik Pandya, became the first captain in IPL history to claim a five-wicket haul. His sensational spell of 5 for 36 helped restrict the Lucknow Super Giants to 203/8 in their allotted 20 overs. With this spell, his tally has gone to eight wickets in three games and sits in the second spot, below Noot Ahmed.

Earlier, Pandya’s decision to bowl first initially seemed to backfire as LSG came all guns blazing. Mitchell Marsh hammered a 31-ball 60 and ffifty as LSG reached 69/0 in six overs. However, the tide game turned after Vignesh Puthur dismissed Marsh with a return catch in the seventh over.

After that, Pandya began his heroics. His first victim was the dangerous Nicholas Pooran, undone by a slower bouncer and caught at short fine leg. He followed it up by removing LSG skipper Rishabh Pant, who once again failed to fire, and was out for just 2. Pant tried to paddle a slower ball, only to hand a catch to substitute fielder Corbin Bosch.

Ayush Badoni and Aiden Markram then tried to stabilise the innings, stitching together a 51-run stand. Markram’s 53 off 38 was his first fifty for LSG and came at an important time. But just when LSG looked to extend their lead, Pandya struck again. In the 18th over, he removed Markram with another slower one, well-caught by Raj Bawa in the deep.

In the 20th over, the all-rounder got the better of David Miller, who had smashed a quickfire 27, and Akash Deep off consecutive deliveries, to complete his maiden IPL fifer, a first for any IPL captain. Despite the Pandya show, LSG still managed to post their first 200-plus total at home as Badoni’s 19-ball 30 and cameos from Miller and Abdul Samad ensured they crossed the mark.

Meanwhile, chasing 204 without Rohit Sharma will be a tough job for Mumbai Indians. Rohit was ruled out of this clash due to a knee injury. In his absence, MI’s batting responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Suryakumar Yadav, Will Jacks, and the middle-order duo of Pandya and Tilak Varma.

Here’s how the fans reacted to Hardik Pandya’s five-wicket haul against LSG: