In a highly charged atmosphere at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 29, 2025, a heated confrontation unfolded between Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans (GT) spinner R Sai Kishore during the ninth match of IPL 2025.
The incident occurred in the fifteenth over of MI’s innings as they chased a target of 197 runs.
Hardik Pandya vs R Sai Kishore: The Incident
The tension escalated when Sai Kishore bowled a dot ball to Pandya, who defended it back towards the bowler.
Following this, Kishore gave Pandya a fierce stare while collecting the ball, which provoked the MI captain.
In response, Pandya was seen mouthing an expletive, reportedly telling Kishore to “f*** off,” as he walked towards him.
This exchange led to a brief staredown between the two players, requiring intervention from the on-field umpires to separate them.
Despite the heated moment, both players managed to reconcile after the match. During the customary post-match handshake, they shared a hug and laughed off the incident, indicating that there were no hard feelings between them.
Player Performances
The clash occurred during a match where both players had mixed fortunes. R Sai Kishore delivered a commendable performance, taking 1 wicket for 37 runs in his four overs, including the crucial dismissal of Tilak Varma.
On the other hand, Hardik Pandya had a challenging outing; while he took 2 wickets for 29 runs with the ball, he struggled with the bat, scoring only 11 runs off 17 balls before being dismissed by Kagiso Rabada in the 17th over.
Post-Match Reactions
After the match, Sai Kishore addressed the incident during an interview, emphasizing their friendship off the field.
He stated, “He’s a good friend of mine; inside the field it should be like that. Inside the field, anybody is an opponent but we don’t take things personally. We are good competitors.”
This sentiment reflects the competitive spirit inherent in cricket while acknowledging their camaraderie.
The clash between Hardik Pandya and R Sai Kishore added an intense subplot to an already thrilling match, which saw Gujarat Titans secure their first victory of IPL 2025 by defeating Mumbai Indians by 36 runs.
