Sports Desk: Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya was punished for slow over rate in the last match of IPL 2024 (against Lucknow Super Giants). The all-rounder was banned for one match for the same offence three times in that season. Since Mumbai did not have any more matches after that match, there was no way to enforce Hardik’s punishment. Hardik is going to get that punishment in the new season. That is, Hardik’s ban is being enforced in Mumbai’s first match in the 2025 season. At a press conference held in Mumbai on Wednesday, Mumbai’s head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed that Hardik will not be able to play the first match. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team in the opening match. Hardik said that he was not fully aware of the punishment for slow over rate in the previous season. He said, “It was beyond my control. What happened last year is part of the game. We bowled the last over about one and a half to two minutes late. I didn’t know about the penalty at the time. It’s unfortunate, but the rules are the rules. I have to follow the process. Whether this rule will be in place next season or not, it’s a matter for the higher authorities. They will definitely take the best decision.’ Hardik also said, ‘Surya (Suryakumar) has definitely led India in T20Is. If I wasn’t there, he would be the ideal leader in this format.’ Mumbai’s first match will be in Chennai on March 23, against the hosts Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Jasprit Bumrah will also be on the bench with Hardik in this match. He has been suffering from a lower back injury since last January. Due to this, Bumrah will miss a few more matches in the beginning. Hardik was banned for one match and fined Rs 30 lakh for the same offence for the third time last season. If all goes well, Hardik will be able to play in Mumbai’s second match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on March 29. Mumbai’s first home match is against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 31.
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