In a high-scoring match, Sai Sudharsan’s score of 80 was in vain as the Gujarat Titans faced elimination after a 20-run defeat to the Mumbai Indians. Rohit Sharma’s impressive 81 was the standout performance for MI, who scored 228 after choosing to bat first. Although the Titans put up a strong fight, they were unable to fully capitalize on their efforts.
Jasprit Bumrah had a significant impact on the game. On a day when a total of 436 runs were scored, Bumrah concluded with bowling figures of 4 overs, 27 runs, and 1 wicket, making him the most economical bowler on the field. However, it was not just his statistics that mattered; Bumrah’s overs played a crucial role in shifting the game’s momentum. When Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar formed a partnership that scored nearly 12 runs per over, Bumrah returned for his third over and dismissed Sundar. The repercussions of that over led to mounting pressure on the Titans, causing their run-rate to drop below 10 from the moment Bumrah re-entered the bowling attack. In his final over, despite allowing a six, he only conceded a total of eight runs, proving to be a pivotal factor in the outcome of the match.
MI openers show their best side
Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow propelled the Mumbai Indians to their highest total during the powerplay this season. The former benefited from being dropped twice at scores of 3 and 12. However, it was his partner who initiated the onslaught, targeting Prasidh Krishna after a cautious beginning. In the fourth over of the innings, Bairstow single-handedly dismantled Krishna, scoring 26 runs off him. He executed pulls, slices, and drives, hitting three sixes and two fours, which stirred excitement among the spectators. Rohit began to find his rhythm after a relatively slow start, delivering powerful sweeps against R Sai Kishore, who was introduced for the final over of the powerplay. With three varied sweeps, Rohit secured three boundaries, leaving MI in high spirits after choosing to bat.
Bairstow narrowly missed his half-century due to a remarkable relay catch at point, executed by Sai Sudharsan. Dismissing him for 47 in the eighth over, Bairstow had already established a solid foundation. Rohit, who surpassed 7000 IPL runs, reached his fifty off 27 balls and continued to build momentum alongside Suryakumar Yadav. He also played a crucial role in overcoming the spin duo of Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore during the middle overs, applying additional pressure on the Titans. Yadav took the initiative to attack Gerald Coetzee at the other end but was fortunate to escape after being dropped by Kusal Mendis—his second drop of the evening—following back-to-back sixes. However, his innings was short-lived as Sai Kishore struck on the last ball of his spell, having Yadav caught in the deep while attempting a slog-sweep. This wicket allowed the spinners to introduce a couple of quiet overs before Tilak Varma joined forces with Sharma.
A final over yielding 22 runs, fueled by three sixes from Hardik Pandya, provided the Mumbai Indians with the finish they had anticipated. They had stumbled in the interim, with both Tilak Varma and Rohit falling within four balls. This raised GT’s hopes of limiting MI’s score before Pandya’s late cameo offered them a much-needed boost. For the Titans, only Rashid Khan managed to avoid significant punishment, conceding just 31 runs in his four overs.
GT fall short in a must win match
In the initial over of the chase, Shubman Gill was decisively trapped in front by a significant inswinger from Trent Boult. This early misfortune prolonged the period of despair for the Gujarat Titans. Conversely, the Mumbai team was exuberant as they maintained their momentum into the defense. However, contrary to the flow of the game, and in line with the overall trend of the series, the Titans discovered that Sai Sudharsan would be their savior. He initiated the counterattack with a six off Boult, which was further supported by Kusal Mendis, who also hit two sixes. Sudharsan added two boundaries off Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, continuing to retaliate effectively. Together, the pair established a 64-run partnership that significantly boosted GT’s hopes.
An 84-run partnership for the third wicket enabled the Titans to persist through the middle overs. Following Kusal Mendis’s dismissal due to a hit wicket, the Titans introduced two left-handers into the fray, which proved to be a successful strategy. The inherent threat they posed kept left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner at bay, allowing them to build a valuable partnership. Sudharsan reached a fifty off 28 balls, while Sundar regained his rhythm against Boult. He struck the seasoned pacer for consecutive sixes, followed by a four that alleviated some pressure off Sudharsan, who had otherwise been shouldering the chase. The duo was scoring at nearly 12 runs per over and appeared poised to take control of the chase when Pandya was compelled to reintroduce his star bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer once again made a vital impact by yorking Sundar at 48, bringing MI back into contention.
Overall, MI’s bowlers were performing exceptionally well during the concluding overs. Their situation was further aided when the well-set Sudharsan attempted a scoop but was bowled out for 80 by Richard Gleeson. Nevertheless, the young Ashwani Kumar worked in tandem with the seasoned Bumrah to create some quiet moments during the final overs, which intensified the mounting pressure. Boult achieved the resulting success by dismissing Sherfane Rutherford, who swung him to deep midwicket at the beginning of the penultimate over. But a towering six from Shahrukh Khan brought the equation down to 24 from the final over bowled by Gleeson, who was struggling with a niggle. The pacer walked off after bowling three boundary-free balls and the over was finished off by Ashwani who dealt the knockout blow.
SCORECARD: Mumbai Indians 228/5 (Rohit Sharma 81, Jonny Bairstow 47) beat Gujarat Titans 208/6 (Sai Sudharsan 80, Washington Sundar 48) by 20 runs
