IPL 2025, Eliminator: MI's players celebrating a wicket (Source: IPL)
Mumbai Indians secured a 20-run victory against Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator of the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League at the Mullanpur Cricket Stadium. This marked MI’s first triumph over GT this season after falling short on two separate occasions.
MI got off to a flying start after electing to bat first. By the end of the powerplay, MI raced to 79/0. Jonny Bairstow looked all set to get to his half-century. However, he had to head back for 47 off 22. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma reached his fifty with a boundary on the first ball of the 10th over.
Rohit’s supreme innings ended at 81 off 50. A clever slower ball from Prasidh Krishna undid him. A swashbuckling finish by Hardik Pandya (22 off nine) and a 22-run final over from Gerald Coetzee propelled the five-time champions to a formidable total of 228/5 at the end of 20 overs.
Gujarat Titans suffered an early blow in the form of skipper Shubman Gill. He was trapped LBW by Trent Boult in the first over of the run chase. However, GT responded through Sai Sudharsan and Kusal Mendis, both of whom maximised the powerplay to take their side's score to 66/1 in six overs.
At the halfway mark, MI introduced Ashwani Kumar as their Impact Player. Jasprit Bumrah changed the complexion of the game by dismissing the dangerously well-set Washington Sundar (48 off 24). Richard Gleeson secured Sudharsan for 80 off 49. MI eventually ended up defending 24 in the final over.
Key moments from GT vs MI, Eliminator of IPL 2025: 1. Bairstow departs courtesy of excellent relay effort by Sudharsan, CoetzeeBairstow had to depart for a brisk 47-run knock after a reverse-sweep was caught by Coetzee off a parry by an acrobatic Sudharsan at backwards point.
Rohit delivered his best innings of the season just when it mattered. The former MI skipper powered his way through to a blazing half-century in a knock which saw him get to the 7,000-run mark in IPL as well as 300 sixes in the tournament's history.
It was a rare low score by Gill this edition after he was pinned down on the fourth delivery of the first over of the second over by the left-arm inswing of Boult.
The tall left-handed batter continued his dominance over opposition bowling attacks. Sudharsan brought up his sixth half-century this season. He ended his IPL 2025 with 759 runs in 15 matches.
