GT vs MI Eliminator: MI Raced to QUALIFIER 2 Defeating Gujarat Titans by 20 Runs at Mullanpur
GT vs MI Eliminator: In a high-stakes Eliminator clash at Mullanpur, the Mumbai Indians once again proved why they are a force to reckon with in IPL playoffs. Under the pressure of a must-win game, MI rose to the occasion with a fiery batting performance and a calm, calculated bowling display, defeating the Gujarat Titans by 20 runs and advancing to Qualifier 2, where they will now face the Punjab Kings.
GT vs MI Match Summary
TOSS: Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bat first.
Mumbai Indians Playing11: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Richard Gleeson (Impact: Ashwini Kumar)
Gujarat Titans Playing11: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Kusal Mendis (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna (Impact- Sherfane Rutherford)
Opting to bat first, MI laid the foundation with a blazing opening stand. Rohit Sharma, who was dropped twice early by Coetzee and Mendis, made GT pay dearly. He struck a brilliant 81 off 50 balls, playing a mix of classical strokes and innovative sweeps. Partnering with him at the top was Jonny Bairstow, brought in for the departing Ryan Rickelton.
The Englishman wasted no time on debut for his new team, smashing a quickfire 47 off just 22 balls. Their 84-run partnership set the tone perfectly in the powerplay. The middle order carried the momentum forward, with Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya all chipping in.
Each of them cleared the ropes three times, as MI hammered 17 sixes in total – the joint third-most in an IPL innings this season. Hardik delivered the final flourish, smashing Coetzee for three sixes in the 20th over to take MI to a towering 228 – the second-highest total in IPL playoff history.
Gujarat Titans, staring at a mountain of runs, lost Shubman Gill early. But Sai Sudharsan and Kusal Mendis kept their hopes alive with a gutsy partnership. Sudharsan, continuing his dream season, showed brilliance once again with his strokeplay. But when Bumrah returned, the game turned.
Jasprit Bumrah, the master of death bowling, clean bowled Washington Sundar with a thunderous yorker that left the batter doing an unintentional split. That moment cracked open the chase, and MI’s bowlers seized control. Sudharsan's wicket, while attempting a scoop, was the final nail. GT couldn't recover after that, especially with Bumrah and his fellow bowlers keeping things tight despite the dew.
The crowd at Mullanpur witnessed a spectacle – the highest ever aggregate in an IPL playoff match (436 runs) and a game filled with big hits, tension, and drama. However, in the end, experience ultimately prevailed over effort.
With this win, Mumbai Indians extended their incredible playoff record, now boasting 10 wins out of 12 playoff games since 2015. Their unbeaten streak while defending 200-plus totals remains intact at 18-0.
As Gujarat Titans exit the tournament, MI march ahead with confidence, ready to take on Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2. One more hurdle stands between them and the final – and with momentum on their side, the five-time champions are far from done.