“The family aspect of MI will always remain” – Akash Ambani consoles MI’s camp

Akash Ambani, owner of the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise, recently delivered a heartfelt speech after his team failed to book a berth for the all-important playoffs in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League.

He pointed out how the latest cycle has been a fruitful one for the Mumbai-based franchise, in which they achieved the feat of winning the title in two consecutive seasons. This is why he said, he does not have any complaints regarding their poor performance in the latest edition.

Here’s what he said in a video released by MI on their social media accounts:

“We will definitely remember this cycle as the most successful cycle of MI in the history of Vivo IPL. Winning back-to-back trophies in four years is no mean feat. We know what it takes to be consistent over the next 30-35 matches. And even this season, I am not going to look back at it with too much regret because we have been a very very successful franchise.”

The 29-year-old praised the players and support staff for their invaluable contributions towards the success of the team. He put emphasis on how the MI squad is like a family and the same aspect is likely to continue, regardless of what the future holds for the players.

“Thanks a lot for everything that you all have contributed to MI. It’s been an honor to have you all as a group of players and the support team too. It really does feel like a family. No matter what the future holds for each and every one of you, the family aspect of remaining with MI will always remain.”

Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021

The defending champions slipped four places to fifth this time. They left it to the very last day of the league stage to keep their playoffs chances – however unlikely – alive, before they fizzled out. What went wrong for the most successful franchise of the IPL tournament was the simple fact : they didn’t bat well. Mumbai are known for their star-studded batting department, and their campaign took a beating when a number of those stopped clicking.

Quinton de Kock’s strike rate dipped under 105 in the last three games he played, Rohit produced two single-digit scores when they needed to win desperately, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav clicked a little too late, and Hardik Pandya didn’t perform at all. To add to that, Trent Boult, the powerplay king of IPL 2020, went wicketless in powerplays five games in a row.

The one who got under the scanner the most was Hardik, who was off his regular game with the bat and didn’t bowl a single over in the tournament. He is in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup as an allrounder but with no overs and hardly any runs under his belt, fans and several former players have started asking about his position. When at his best, there aren’t many in India like him. But he is far from at his best right now.