Mullanpur, May 30: On a balmy Friday evening in Mullanpur, Mumbai Indians (MI) displayed nerves of steel and the clinical edge of a seasoned outfit to knock out defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) with a spirited 20-run win in the IPL 2025 Eliminator.
With this result, the five-time champions booked their ticket to Qualifier 2, where they will now lock horns with the resurgent Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on June 1.
It was a contest that swung like a pendulum before finally tilting MI’s way, thanks largely to a sublime knock from the willow of former skipper Rohit Sharma, who turned back the clock with a blistering 81 off 50 deliveries.
Ably supported by a quick-fire cameo from Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 17) and a crucial opening stand with Jonny Bairstow (47 off 29), MI posted a daunting 228 for five, a total that eventually proved a bridge too far for Gujarat despite a valiant fightback led by B Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar.
Having endured a patchy season with the bat, Rohit Sharma chose the perfect moment to unleash his vintage best. Walking out with the intent to dominate from the get-go, the MI stalwart peppered the field with exquisite strokeplay — cuts, pulls, and inside-out drives galore — in an innings laced with 10 boundaries and three sixes. The seasoned campaigner looked in complete control, soaking up the early pressure and then exploding into full flow.
Bairstow complemented Rohit well at the top, going after the GT pacers in the Powerplay, and the duo put on 91 for the first wicket in just under 9 overs, setting the tone for the innings. Although Bairstow fell short of a half-century, his aggressive approach forced Gujarat on the back foot early on.
Once Suryakumar Yadav walked in, he wasted no time in stamping his authority. His 17-ball 33 was packed with cheeky reverse sweeps and lofted drives that kept the scoreboard ticking at a furious pace.
MI’s middle-order too contributed vital runs, with Nehal Wadhera and Tim David applying the finishing touches to the innings.
Despite the best efforts of R Sai Kishore (2/42) and Prasidh Krishna (2/39), Gujarat’s bowling unit never really recovered from the early onslaught. Titans’ spearhead Mohit Sharma was taken apart for 57 runs in his four overs, and even the usually economical Rashid Khan looked out of rhythm, conceding 45 in his spell.
In reply, Gujarat Titans found themselves up against a steep climb. The early loss of captain Shubman Gill to a peach from Jason Behrendorff set them back, and although Wriddhiman Saha tried to stabilize the innings, it was the emergence of B Sai Sudharsan that gave them a real sniff of hope.
Sudharsan, who has been in prolific touch this season, continued his purple patch with a composed yet attacking 80 off 49 balls. His shot selection was exemplary — dispatching the bad balls with disdain while rotating the strike with ease. (PTI)
