MI vs LSG: Mumbai Indians openers dismantled Lucknow Super Giants bowling attack during their IPL encounter on 4 May 2026, leaving the visitors scrambling for answers under the lights. As the ball flew to all parts of the ground, the scoreboard kept racing along while the fielding side struggled to slow things down.
Avesh Khan found himself right in the line of fire, failing to find his rhythm against batsmen who seemed to know exactly what he was going to bowl next. Instead of rattling the opposition with his usual pace, the right-arm seamer fed them loose balls that were put away to the boundary with ease.
He seemed to lose his nerve, repeatedly missing his spots and letting the MI batters take total control of the game. This lack of discipline turned what should have been a tight spell into a massive leak of runs for his captain. While the stadium erupted with every six, the Lucknow dugout watched their main pace threat fail to build any pressure.
Their plans fell apart under the pressure of the Mumbai onslaught, with the bowlers looking more and more lost as the partnership grew. Every attempt to drag back the run rate just led to more punishment, showing a real breakdown in the tactics needed for such a massive game.
Shaun Pollock pointed out that Avesh Khan moved away from his usual habit of hitting a hard length, trying instead to chase low-percentage yorkers that ended up as dangerous full tosses. The South African legend noted that these predictable balls became easy pickings for the Mumbai hitters who feasted on the lack of variety.
He questioned why the leadership stuck to such a limited bowling attack, failing to give Aiden Markram’s spin a go even when the specialists were clearly struggling. Pollock argued that the side didn't have a clear plan for breaking the opening stand, suggesting they were just hoping for a mistake rather than actually trying to force a wicket. By picking an extra batter over a proven international bowler, the team threw away the balance they needed to stop such a clinical and aggressive batting performance.
"They also used only five bowlers and didn't go to the extra option of Aiden Markram. Someone like Avesh Khan, his strength has always been pounding the good length. Here, he was running up and trying to bowl yorkers. And they were knee high, getting smacked away. Bowlers have to realise what their strength is and stick to it. By bringing in Inglis, they missed out on an international bowler, which probably would have served the balance better," Pollock said on Cricbuzz.
"Sometimes in such games, it almost looks like you are aimless as a captain. When two players are flying like they were at the top of the order for MI, you feel like there is nothing you can do. But it looked like there were no clear-cut plans on how they were going to pick up a wicket or restrict scoring. It didn't look like they went to something unique, but more a case of them hoping the MI openers get out," he added.
