Chopra denies criticizing Pandya’s captaincy after MI’s defeat
Former India batter Aakash Chopra has rubbished claims of criticizing Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya’s leadership after their heavy loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
A social media account quoted Chopra lambasting Pandya, saying, “I have seen the worst captaincy by any captain in IPL history”. The account alleged the ex-player urged Hardik Pandya to relinquish captaincy or for the franchise to remove him.
MI had conceded a monumental 277/3 against SRH on Wednesday. However, Chopra clarified he made no such statement. “Don’t spread lies. The statement and my name’s spelling were wrong, too. What’s wrong with you?” he responded sharply.
SRH handed MI a 31-run defeat for their first win as both sides surpassed multiple six-hitting records in a batting bonanza. While SRH’s 18 sixes were an IPL best, 38 sixes bettered the earlier record.
Pandya acknowledged the opposition’s superb batting after their 277-run target. “The wicket was good but conceding that many runs means they played very well. It was tough conditions for bowlers with close to 500 runs scored,” the skipper said.
With two losses in as many matches, pressure is mounting on reigning champions MI to deliver early in their title defence campaign. Chopra’s remarks underline the need to curb fake news on social media platforms surrounding cricket matches.
