Mumbai Indians suffered their second consecutive defeat in the ongoing IPL season, losing to Rajasthan Royals in a rain-affected encounter on Tuesday night. Following the loss, captain Hardik Pandya openly attributed the defeat to the team’s bowling performance.

Pandya stated that the batting unit was not at fault, emphasizing that the high target required aggressive intent from the very beginning. However, he admitted that the bowlers, including himself, failed to deliver at crucial moments.

'The bowling unit, including me, is responsible for this defeat. We conceded too many boundaries, and at least five deliveries could have been controlled better to avoid sixes. That could have kept us in the contest,' Pandya said.

He also acknowledged the strong performance of Rajasthan Royals, particularly their openers, who dominated the powerplay and set the tone early in the innings.

'The Royals played exceptionally well. Their openers took the game away from us in the first two overs. Although we tried to recover later, we are currently falling behind,' he added.

In the rain-curtailed match, Rajasthan Royals posted 150/3, showcasing a disciplined batting effort. In response, Mumbai Indians managed only 123 runs, ultimately losing the match by 27 runs.