Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans spinner R Sai Kishore engage in tense on-field exchange during the 15th over, later seen hugging post-match to defuse tension.
Ahmedabad, March 29, 2025 – A fiery on-field exchange between Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans spinner R Sai Kishore became the most talked-about moment from Match 9 of IPL 2025, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Shubman Gill Reveals Black Soil Pitch Strategy After GT’s Dominant Win Over MI
The confrontation occurred during the 15th over of Mumbai’s run chase when Kishore bowled a tight over to Hardik. After delivering two dot balls followed by a boundary, Kishore held his nerve with another dot. The mounting pressure led to visible frustration from Pandya, who appeared to say “F* off**” to the spinner in a heated staredown—lip movements captured on camera confirmed the outburst, though the audio was muted.
Also Read: As Rohit Sharma Struggles, Hardik Pandya Issues Stern Message to MI Batters After GT Loss
GAME 🔛
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 29, 2025
Hardik Pandya ⚔ Sai Kishore – teammates then, rivals now! 👀🔥
Watch the LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/VU1zRx9cWp #IPLonJioStar 👉 #GTvMI | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi, & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/2p1SMHQdqc
Despite the intensity of the moment, the players were later seen hugging it out after the match, suggesting the issue was resolved with mutual respect.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Hardik Pandya Reflects on MI’s Loss to GT: “We Fell Short in All Departments”
Hardik, returning from a one-match ban, led his side as MI elected to bowl first. Reflecting on the pitch, he mentioned the black-soil surface and dew factor as key reasons for chasing.
“The simple reason is we don’t know how the pitch will play… It’s always better to bat second on black-soil,” Hardik said at toss time.
Meanwhile, GT skipper Shubman Gill revealed that his playing XI remained unchanged and said that the team was focused on learning from their previous game, in which they lost despite a solid score.
“We’ve batted first many times here… It’s about assessing conditions and setting a target,” said Gill.
As for the match, both teams had much to prove after losing their season openers, and the tension on-field reflected the stakes. While drama momentarily overshadowed play, fans witnessed a competitive clash between two powerhouses—and a reminder that IPL is never short on emotion.
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Hardik Pandya, R Sai Kishore, IPL 2025, GT vs MI, Hardik Pandya controversy, IPL staredown, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, IPL fights, IPL drama, cricket news, sports viral moments