Mumbai Indians, under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, commenced their batting duties after winning the toss against Lucknow Super Giants and their skipper, Rishabh Pant, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. At the starting moments of the game, MI took control through important wickets to create significant match pressure on LSG.LSG’s shaky start despite a strong lineupLucknow Super Giants showed resolve in the match because they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous contest. The LSG team had doubts about the current batting condition of their key players, Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram. The leadership skills of Pant are excellent, but his batting results have not achieved the desired outcomes. Shardul Thakur stands out from the rest of the Lucknow Super Giants batting lineup as the top performer with his bowling skills.The LSG team started their innings with bold play but lost a few valuable batsmen as the match progressed. A well-directed delivery from Hardik Pandya led Nicholas Pooran to make a mistake while attempting to hit the ball, as he presented a catch opportunity to fine-leg. During the powerplay, Mitchell Marsh became victim of Vignesh Puthur's googly, which resulted in a straightforward return catch. The two early wickets transferred dominance toward MI.Also Read : Tributes pour in as Kevin De Bruyne announces departure from Manchester City after a decade of gloryMumbai’s bowling strategy puts pressure on LucknowThrough his decisive cricket play, Hardik Pandya led his team by cutting important defensive moments against Lucknow. The removal of Rishabh Pant by Hardik Pandya turned out to be a critical stage of the game. Pant swung for a cutter through the leg side and succeeded only in hitting the ball toward the long-off fielder. The LSG skipper faced additional pressure because his expensive purchase now revealed another poor batting performance in the IPL tournament.MI's bowling performance became more intense as Lucknow lost its batsmen frequently throughout the game. Ashwani Kumar combined forces with Trent Boult to minimize the number of runs scored by the opponent. The dew factor received close monitoring throughout the night as it might affect the outcome of the second innings.Mumbai Indians eye controlled chase after restricting LucknowThe LSG lineup became stagnant at 131/3 during the 13.2 overs, so Mumbai Indians shifted their strategy to keep the score beneath 170 to ensure an easy run chase. The following powerplay phase for Mumbai Indians would be vital since batting during the first part of the inning appeared beneficial on the currently selected pitch. The presence of dew would strengthen the batting conditions for MI.Also Read : IMF raises alarm over US tariffs imposed by Donald Trump, warns of global economic slowdownMumbai Indians appeared set to dominate the match under the leadership of Hardik Pandya, who put together a balanced starting eleven. A strong performance from the bowling side in the second inning remained essential for victory because MI wanted to maintain their successful start in IPL 2025.FAQs:How did Hardik Pandya perform in the match?Hardik Pandya played a crucial role, taking key wickets, including Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, helping MI control the game.What was the turning point of the MI vs LSG IPL 2025match?The turning point came when Mumbai Indians dismissed Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran in quick succession, restricting LSG’s scoring momentum.