IPL 2025: MI skipper Hardik Pandya levels Anil Kumble's elusive record

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], April 5 (ANI): Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya equalled legendary spinner Anil Kumble's record for most wickets as a captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL) following his breathtaking spell against Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing edition.
When Mumbai were seeking breakthroughs, looking for someone to take the mantle and rattle Lucknow, Pandya stepped up to lead his side from the front. Pandya decoded the formula of success in Lucknow by mixing up his lengths and pace to keep the batters guessing.
He flawlessly executed his plan to perfection and notched up his best performance in the T20 format. He clinched his maiden five-wicket haul in T20s after returning with rollicking figures of 5/36 after bowling a full quota of his four overs.
Following his searing display with the ball, Pandya became the joint second-highest with Kumble for the record of most wickets as a captain in the cash-rich league. The iconic spinner Shane Warne sits at the top with a staggering 57 scalps to his name as a captain in the IPL. Pandya and Kumble hold the second spot with 30 scalps each.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is next with 25 wickets, followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins, who boasts 21 scalps for the record.
Pandya's record-shattering spell with the ball reverberated throughout the entire stadium in Lucknow. He got his hands on his first five-wicket haul in T20s and became the first captain to claim a five-for in the IPL.
His game-changing spell included the priceless scalps of Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant and David Miller. Pandya re-introduced himself to the action in the final over and removed the tail-ender Akash Deep to cap off his spell.
Even after his sizzling spell, pulling off a rescue act twice became too much for Hardik, considering his flop show with the bat. During MI's pursuit of a daunting 204-run target, the equation came down to 29 needed in 12 deliveries.
MI could only scratch out seven from the penultimate over, making the equation 22 in the final over. With Avesh Khan charging from the bowling end, Pandya, with his wrists of iron, smacked the ball past the boundary rope to give a glimmer of hope to his side. However, it was the only piece of fireworks that fans witnessed from his bat as MI fell to a 12-run defeat. (ANI)