Did Hardik Pandya reject Lasith Malinga’s embrace after the MI legend’s unique gesture during the RR vs. IPL 2024 match?

Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, achieved a noteworthy milestone in his Indian Premier League (IPL) career on Monday when he played in his 100th IPL match, an encounter between the Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. He joined an exclusive group that includes Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, and Ambati Rayudu after being the eighth player from MI to accomplish the feat.

‘100’ was inscribed on the back of a unique jersey that Hardik received on this momentous occasion. Lasith Malinga, the bowling coach for MI and a part of the 100-IPL team, accepted the jersey. It took place after the Mumbai Indians’ first-inning total of 179 for nine in 20 overs against Rajasthan. Malinga performed the unique move as the players stood on a hurdle, and Hardik was poised to deliver a motivational speech.

Pictures of Malinga congratulating Hardik were snapped swiftly, but when the MI great turned to embrace the all-round player after his significant accomplishment, the Mumbai Indians captain seemed to ignore him and the former fast bowler left. This is the video.

This is the third incident in the current IPL 2024 season that suggests there is a problem between Hardik and Malinga, despite Mumbai’s dismal performance in the competition so far. Malinga declined to take a seat next to Hardik after MI’s batting coach, Kieron Pollard, invited him to do so shortly after the skipper was dismissed during the team’s 31-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier in the season at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Malinga stood up from his chair, cut off Pollard in mid-act, and left. Hardik avoided a blow from Malinga and walked forward to shake hands with SRH players later in the same game, after MI’s loss.

Mumbai has struggled as a side in the IPL 2024 season, having suffered their sixth defeat when the five-time champion Rajasthan Royals easily defeated them by nine wickets. With ten balls remaining, RR managed to reach the mark when Yashasvi Jaiswal stormed back to form, smashing his second century in the IPL against Mumbai. With three victories in eight games, MI is now ranked sixth in the standings.