Raipur, May 11 (IANS) Stand-in Mumbai Indians skipper Suryakumar Yadav admitted his side fell short in key moments after their heartbreaking two-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Sunday ended MI’s campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Defending 166 on a challenging surface, Mumbai pushed the contest to the final ball before RCB escaped with a dramatic win. Reflecting on the defeat, Suryakumar felt the batting innings lacked the extra cushion required on such a difficult pitch. “I think we were 10-15 runs short. We can say the wrong timing of wickets (while batting). Naman and Tilak batted beautifully and showed character,” he said after the loss.

After early blows from Bhuvneshwar Kumar had reduced Mumbai to 28/3, Tilak Varma and Naman Dhir rebuilt the innings impressively. Naman struck a fluent 47 while Tilak anchored the innings with a composed 57, helping MI recover to 166/7 after a difficult start.

Suryakumar Yadav also reserved special praise for young all-rounder Raj Bawa, who nearly defended 15 runs in a tense final over before RCB sealed victory off the last ball. “I think he had been practising that (death bowling) really well, and he was a completely different all-rounder this year. Almost pulled it off for us,” he said.

The final over swung dramatically between both sides, with Bawa conceding crucial extras before dismissing Romario Shepherd and then being hit for a decisive six by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Despite the defeat, Suryakumar backed the youngster’s temperament under pressure.

Mumbai also produced several notable moments in the field, including Tilak Varma’s outstanding relay effort near the boundary during Krunal Pandya’s innings. Though the catch opportunity eventually resulted in confusion and no dismissal, Suryakumar appreciated Tilak’s commitment in the field.

“I think these are the things you practice a lot with the fielding. The way Tilak came back and took the catch again showed that he wanted to do something special. Part of the game,” he said.

The stand-in captain also praised Corbin Bosch for his impactful spell that kept Mumbai alive deep into the chase. Bosch picked up four wickets, including the crucial dismissals of Rajat Patidar, Jacob Bethell, Jitesh Sharma, and Tim David. “Very proud of the way he (Bosch) bowled in the Power-play and in all phases,” Suryakumar added.

The defeat marked a rare, disappointing season for five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who are traditionally among the strongest playoff contenders in the league. Suryakumar admitted the elimination was difficult to process but expressed confidence about returning stronger next year.

“I think we can just try and play this game because we love it. Though we are not used to being in this position often. Hard pill to swallow. Hopefully, we will come back well next year,” he mentioned.

–IANS

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