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Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya will miss the side’s opening clash of IPL 2025 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23 in Chennai.
It all comes after Pandya-led MI side failed to keep up the minimum over rate for the third time in the IPL 2024 game against Lucknow Super Giants. The contest was MI’s last game of the season, where they ended in the last position with four wins in 14 games.
As a result, the all-rounder was handed a one-match ban and fined INR 30 lakhs, while the rest of the players in the XI, including Impact Player, were liable to be fined either INR 12 lakhs or 50% of their match fees, whichever is lesser.
“Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians captain, has been fined after his team maintained a slow over rate during their IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on May 17,” an official IPL media release had stated.
“As it was his team’s third offence of the season under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, Pandya was fined ₹30 lakh and banned from playing the team’s next match,” it added.
In the absence of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah is likely to lead the MI side. However, Bumrah will look to complete his recovery from a back injury in order to participate in the IPL 2025.
Pandya struggled for consistency in the last season, where he could score 216 runs at an average of 18, and picked up 11 wickets in 14 games.
MI announces Mujeeb Ur Rahman as injury replacement in IPL 2025
Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been called in as an injury replacement for Allah Ghazanfar in the Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2025.
Mujeeb holds the experience of picking up 275 wickets in 256 T20s, while maintaining a prolific economy of 6.75. He has taken part in the IPL as well, picking 19 wickets in as many games.
The five-time champions will look to come back stronger in IPL 2025 and hope to bring back the smiles of the fans. Ahead of the auction, they retained the services of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah.
On D-day, they secured the services of talented players like Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and Will Jacks. It will be interesting to see how they perform in the IPL 2025 season.
