We were treated to yet another low-scoring close game where fortuned ebbed and flowed between the teams through the course of the game. Yet again, Mumbai Indians, with a spectacular bowling performance and a never-give-up attitude, came on top of the contest, defeating SRH by 13 runs.

After winning the toss and picking to bat first, MI put up a 150-run total. SRH got off to a great start but failed to capitalise it after the top order departed. Some on-point yorkers and exceptional run-outs later, MI emerged as the winner, leaving SRH with no points this IPL yet.

Post the game, Hardik addressed the media, and Rohit and Pollard had a few words to share at the presentation ceremony too. Below are excerpts from the same.

“We have a lot of character as a team”: Hardik Pandya

“I don't spend much time on fielding, just make sure I'm ticking the boxes. I just make sure that the ball is in my hand and then target the stumps. To be honest, the run-out of Warner, I wasn't expecting him to be that far, I just wanted to take aim and hit, and only then I realized that he was well short. In the powerplay, I thought they were fantastic.”

“Credit goes to our bowlers. We have a lot of character as a team, they got to a great start, but our bowlers pulled them back nicely, bowled good line and lengths, made sure that the pressure was built. Rahul Chahar, Krunal and all the others - we bowled as a unit, held the nerves and used all the opportunities that came our way. We have plenty of experience of having played as a team, lots of feedback from the players and it helps to have a captain who makes the most of it.”

“Our fielding was good today”: Rohit Sharma

“Great effort from the bowling unit, we knew it was not going to be easy. When you have a pitch like that and the bowlers execute, it makes it easy for a captain. I thought we had a good score for this pitch. You saw both the teams capitalizing on the powerplay. Having said that, we can do better in the middle overs. All the players here have played a lot of cricket on these pitches. So, there are areas to work on.”

“At the same time, I don't want to take credit away from them, when you have guys like Rashid and Mujeeb bowling it's not easy. The pitch is getting slower and slower, bowlers are always in the game till 20 overs. Even the seamers it's not easy to get them away and the slowish nature makes it harder for the batter to slog straight away.”

“One set batter carrying through is needed, which is what's not happening for all of the teams that have played here. Polly has done it for so many years for us at the back end. We have confidence in him. It's all about him getting some time in the middle. I thought our fielding was good today, that's something we take pride in, we want to be the best unit in the tournament.”

“Just happy to do my job here”: Kieron Pollard

“I think the situation dictates who comes to bat first, we are all padded up and whenever we're called on, we're ready. There's no secret. We have to find a way and again in the back end, getting those extra runs helped us. it's very difficult to adjust on this pitch when you only have a couple of balls, but that's what we train for.”

“It's good when you scrap the victories, it gives you confidence. When it's coming out nicely you want to bowl another one, but what the team needs at the moment is you need the main bowlers. Just happy to do my job there.”

Paltan, how good was this for a weekend game?