Mumbai Indians needed two wins to secure a spot in the playoffs. Krunal Pandya scoring 86 runs off 37 balls made sure that the 1st win is in the bag. It was Guptill and his contribution that set us up to a 206-run score and subsequently an 80 run win. Mumbaiinidians.com got an exclusive interview with the man instrumental in our win.

Excerpts:

Whose decision was it to send you at No 3?

It was Ricky’s decision; I was padded up actually when Rohit got out. Ricky told me I am going in next and to go there and express myself, you play the way you play. It came out good; I knew they had two leg spinners and one left arm spinner. So I was trying to play long and thinking onPonting asked me to play naturally: Krunal Pandya ways to hit them.

What did Ricky say to you after your innings vs DD?

He was really happy with the way I played and the way I executed my shots. Everyone was happy and it was a must win game for us. It feels good that I could contribute something to the team.

How does it feel to be appreciated by Sachin? Does that happen often?

It doesn’t happen often. I feel really blessed that he is a part of Mumbai Indians when I am playing. It seriously feels amazing. The respect and knowledge which he possesses is crucial for our team. I can approach him anytime if I need any suggestion, which helps the team morale.

What did your mother say when you spoke to her?

I spoke to mom and dad while getting back to the hotel. They are really happy. My mom was happy that I named her first when I thanked people for their support. It’s a proud moment for my family back there to see both their son’s perform at a higher level.

You scored 86(37) & had time to get to a 100. Are you disappointed you didn’t get there?

No not disappointed. I don’t think of myself when I am playing, whether am bowling or batting. I just think of the team. There was no pressure as such that I had to score a hundred, I was just going after the bowling. During my innings I never looked at the scoreboard because I knew I was hitting the ball well and the run-rate was only increasing.

With the battle for the playoffs raging on, we need one more crucial win from the upcoming game with Gujarat Lions, at Kanpur. Let’s hope that Krunal keeps up this new “Power-hitting against spin” momentum and leads us to an even higher score, next time around.