New Chandigarh, May 31: Rohit Sharma’s 81, coupled with the experience of bowlers Trent Boult (2-56) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-27) proved pivotal for Mumbai Indians claiming a spot in Qualifier 2, with a 20-run win over Gujarat Titans in Eliminator match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Friday.

In their chase of 229, Gujarat Titans scored 208/6 in 20 overs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

With no Jos Buttler in the batting order, Shubman Gill (1) really needed to fire but fell to Trent Boult’s opening spell. With a massive chase ahead, the Kiwi pacer caught Gill plumb in front, which was confirmed after an unsuccessful review by GT, to start on the right foot.

After a fiery opening two overs by Boult and Bumrah, Sudharsan and Kusal Mendis (20) began to shift gears and started an onslaught of their own.

Sudarsan began proceedings by flicking Boult for six before Mendis, replacing Buttler, struck the left-arm pacer for consecutive maximums. The left-handed opener displayed an array of shots and carved the Mumbai pace attack through the gaps to all parts of the ground. Hardik Pandya decided to bowl for the first time in the power-play but was hit for three boundaries.

Mendis found himself in no-man’s land on the final ball of the power-play, after a mix-up while running, but Raj Bawa missed the stumps as GT reached 66/1, with the fielding restrictions being lifted. However, Mendis’ horror night, despite a solid batting innings, which began with him dropping two catches, ended with him hitting his stumps. The Sri Lanka batter attempted to sweep Mitchell Santner, but his leg slipped and he knocked over his stumps.

Sudharsan raised his sixth half-century of the season in 28 deliveries, and crossed the 700-run mark for the season, while Washington Sundar (48) settled into the crease. Despite the fall in wickets, Gujarat’s run rate continued to match the high requirement. Sundar began to ramp up his innings with a four and a six off Pandya, both off low full-toss deliveries, before smashing consecutive sixes in an 18-run Trent Boult over.

With Gujarat nearing the 150 mark in 13 overs, Hardik needed his most trusted bowler to end the partnership, which was approaching the 100-run mark, and Bumrah did it in typical fashion. The pacer bowled a scintillating yorker, which Sundar had no answer to. The ball castled into stumps, leaving the all-rounder on the floor.

Sherfane Rutherford (24) began with a bang and struck three boundaries before Gleeson ended Sudharsan’s night. The Englishman, who replaced Corbin Bosch, claimed the important wicket of Sudharsan, who was bowled over by a yorker while attempting a scoop shot.

Ashwani Kumar and Bumrah restricted boundaries to a minimum, with nine runs each coming off the subsequent overs, with Rahul Tewatia (16) claiming a towering maximum over the latter. With the pressure rising and 36 needed off 12, Boult served it right in the slot, but Rutherford, connecting with the toe end of the bat, holed it straight to Tilak Varma at deep mid-wicket.

With 30 needed off seven, it seemed the result was certain before Shahrukh Khan (13) struck a massive six off the Kiwi to revive the crowd. Gleeson was trusted with the final six deliveries, but he cramped up while running in and was only able to bowl three, in which he conceded as many runs. Ashwani Kumar finished the remaining spell, whilst also dismissing Shahrukh to seal the 20-run victory.

After surprisingly opting to bat first, Rohit and Jonny Bairstow (47) set the platform as Mumbai Indians posted a massive total of 228/5 in 20 overs.

Rohit’s innings, which showcased his brute force and ability to cross the boundary at ease, was laced with nine boundaries and four sixes. However, it was not a perfect one as the former India skipper was dropped twice on the day, in what can only be described as a poor outing for the 2022 winners in the field.

His first lifeline came when he was batting on three runs. Rohit pulled towards Gerald Coetzee in the deep, which the Proteas player fumbled through his hands. In the very next over, Rohit showed why Gujarat can’t afford to give him a lifeline as he struck Mohammed Siraj for consecutive boundaries. However, Siraj almost had his man as he found Rohit’s outside edge, but Kusal Mendis could not grab onto it behind the wicket.

Bairstow, making his debut for MI, was in no mood to allow the bowlers to dictate terms, and he took Prasidh Krishna to the cleaners, blasting 26 runs off the fourth over, with three maximums. The duo helped MI score their highest total ever in power-play during the IPL play-offs with 79/0 in six overs.

Having dropped two catches already, Sai Sudharsan produced an incredible moment with lightning reflexes and a pinch of luck to deny Bairstow his half-century. Attempting a reverse sweep off Sai Kishore, Bairstow almost found the gap but Sudharsan dived across to his left and kept the ball in the air, with Coetzee completing the tag catch.

Rohit went on to raise his fourth half-century of the season in 28 deliveries.

MI’s most consistent player of the season, Suryakumar Yadav (33) was in no mood for taking his time and struck Coetzee for consecutive sixes over fine leg and backward point, respectively. GT had their third missed chance of the day when Mendis once again failed to latch on to the catch, off the next ball, which could have sent Yadav packing.

The 34-year-old raised his 15th consecutive 25+ score in a men’s T20 competition, extending his record, before playing a sweep, off a full toss by Sai Kishore, but mistimed it to Washington Sundar at the boundary.

Rohit and Tilak Varma (25) claimed sixes each off Coetzee before Rohit’s innings came to an end. A slower delivery by Prasidh Krishna saw Rohit get a top edge towards mid-wicket, where the safe hands of Rashid made no mistake.

Despite going for 53 runs in his four-over spell, Prasidh pulled things back for GT as he delivered Naman Dhir’s (9) scalp in the penultimate over, while MI crossed the 200-run mark.

Skipper Hardik Pandya (22) hammered Coetzee for three maximums in the final over as MI reached the total of 228/5.

Brief scores: Mumbai Indians 228/5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 81, Jonny Bairstow 47, Suryakumar Yadav 33; Sai Kishore 2-42, Prasidh Krishna 2-53) beat Gujarat Titans 208/6 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 80, Washington Sundar 48; Trent Boult 2-56, Jasprit Bumrah 1-27) by 20 runs

(IANS)

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