Mahela Jayawardene Admits Powerplay Struggles as Mumbai Indians Suffer Fourth Defeat:

Mumbai Indians’ struggles in the 2025 IPL season persisted as they suffered their fourth loss in five games, this time to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 12 runs. It was their first defeat at home this season. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene admitted that powerplays—both while batting and bowling—remain a significant issue.

RCB, invited to bat first, posted 73/1 in the first six overs—their highest-ever powerplay score against Mumbai. In contrast, MI managed only 54/2 during their chase.

Jayawardene: “Margins Are Small, We’re Not There Yet”

Post-match, Jayawardene expressed disappointment at the team’s inability to control the early overs.

“The powerplay is a concern for us with the ball and the bat,” he said. “We are leaking too many runs early and losing wickets during our own powerplay. These small margins are costing us.”

Despite claiming an early wicket, MI’s bowlers failed to maintain pressure, especially during Deepak Chahar’s expensive sixth over.

On the batting front, MI’s innings lacked momentum after losing quick wickets, forcing a period of consolidation and missing out on an early advantage.

Jasprit Bumrah's Return and Bowling Decisions

Despite Jasprit Bumrah’s return after a three-month layoff, MI opted to start with Deepak Chahar, whose powerplay economy this season has been 11.30—second-worst among bowlers with 5+ overs in that phase.

Jayawardene defended the decision, stating,

“We’ve got two swing bowlers, and wanted to use them up front. Booms [Bumrah] is returning from injury, so the idea was to ease him into the competition.”

Hardik Pandya’s Late Flourish Falls Short

MI captain Hardik Pandya sparked hope with a rapid 42 off 15 balls, but it wasn’t enough to chase RCB’s 222-run target.

Jayawardene praised Hardik’s effort, stating the strategy was to target three big overs post the 10th-12th mark, which temporarily shifted momentum.

Call for Ruthlessness and Consistency

Jayawardene reiterated the need for a more disciplined and aggressive approach, similar to his comments after MI’s previous 12-run loss in Lucknow.

“We need to be more ruthless. At times, we’re losing our discipline for one or two overs which is costing us the game—both with bat and ball.”

Despite the setbacks, he expressed faith in the team’s experienced players, saying their mental toughness would be vital in navigating difficult situations.