Hardik Pandya Hugs Aakash Ambani Ahead Of MI vs GT Match, Photo Goes Viral

13.05.2023 - 15:33 sports.ndtv.com

Mumbai Indians strengthened their IPL 2023 Playoffs qualification chances as they registered their seventh win of the season on Friday.

The five-time champions defeated Gujarat Titans by 27 runs and took their points tally to 14 and secured the third position on the points table.

Asked to bat first, MI posted a huge total of 218/5 in 20 overs after Suryakumar Yadav smashed 103* runs off 49 balls. Later, the defending champions were restricted to 191/8 despite a heroic knock of 79* off 32 balls from Rashid Khan.

It was a very special moment for GT skipper Hardik Pandya as he was going against his former IPL team. Ahead of the high-scoring action, Hardik was seen hugging MI owner Nita Ambani's son Akash.

cricket Mumbai Indians Hardik Pandya Suryakumar Yadav Gujarat Titans Rashid Khan India

Hardik Pandya went toe-to-toe with his idol MS Dhoni earlier this week as Gujarat Titans took on Chennai Super Kings in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. However, Hardik failed to get the better of his idol as Dhoni led CSK to their fifth IPL title. After the defeat, Hardik said that he is proud of his team and if he had to lose the title to anyone he would rather lose it to CSK captain Dhoni. He said that it was destiny for Dhoni to win the title and good things happen to good people and "he's been one of the best people he knows."

"Why Go And Waste His Time?": Virender Sehwag Blasts Hardik Pandya Over Mohit Sharma Act

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final turned out to be a sporting spectacle that saw Ravindra Jadeja score 10 runs from the final two balls of the match, taking Chennai Super Kings across the line. The final over of the match was all going as per plan for GT, with Mohit Sharma conceding just 3 runs from the first 4 balls. However, the veteran pacer's rhythm seems to have been shaken a bit following a brief chat with skipper Hardik Pandya, which former India cricketer Virender Sehwag wasn't pleased to see.

"For Strange Reason...": Sunil Gavaskar Questions Hardik Pandya's Final Over Decision

Mohit Sharma was a star performer for Gujarat Titans in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and with 27 wickets from 13 matches, the experienced fast bowler played a massive role in taking them to the final. However, despite taking three wickets in the summit clash, he was not able to clinch the game for his side as he conceded 10 runs in the final two balls against Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar dissected the last over by Mohit and pointed out a moment that could have affected his rhythm.

Watch: MS Dhoni, Ziva And More! Emotional Post-Match Scenes Sum Up CSK's IPL Title Triumph

The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings made history in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final as they defeated defending champions Gujarat Titans in a last-ball thriller to lift the title for the 'record-equalling' 5th time. It was an emotional moment for fans all across the world as they saw Dhoni lead CSK all the way in what was seen as his last match in the tournament's history. In an emotional video shared by the IPL on Tuesday morning, Dhoni could be seen lifting Ravindra Jadeja in celebration while also acknowledging GT skipper Hardik Pandya for his side's effort. Later, daughter Ziva came and gave Dhoni a big hug, congratulating on the title.

"If I Had To Lose...": Hardik Pandya's Glorious Tribute To MS Dhoni After IPL Final Defeat

Despite facing defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final, Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Hardik Pandya said that he is proud of his team and if he had to lose the title to anyone he would rather lose it to CSK captain MS Dhoni. Ravindra Jadeja provided a grandstand finish, hitting a six and a four with 10 needed off the last two balls, to power Chennai Super Kings to their fifth IPL title as they beat defending champions Gujarat Titans by five wickets in a thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

'Calmness Hardik Pandya Brings Is Reminiscent Of MS Dhoni': Sunil Gavaskar's Huge Compliment For GT Captain Ahead Of IPL 2023 Final

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has lavished praise on Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya, saying the calmness that he brings into the team reminds him of the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Titans, under the guidance of Pandya, sailed into their second successive IPL final after blowing away five-time champions Mumbai Indians by 62 runs in Qualifier 2 to set up a summit clash with four-time winners Chennai Super Kings.