Rohit's 81 and Bairstow's Blitz Propel MI to 20-Run Victory Over GT in IPL 2025 Eliminator

Mumbai Indians booked their Qualifier 2 spot in the IPL 2025 following a decisive 20-run win against Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator match on Friday, thanks to Rohit Sharma's 81 and timely bowling efforts by Trent Boult (2-56) and Jasprit Bumrah (1-27).

Chasing a daunting total of 229, Gujarat Titans scored 208 for 6 off their 20 overs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

In the absence of Jos Buttler in the batting order, the responsibility was Shubman Gill's to set fire to the innings, but the latter was swiftly sent back by Boult in the first over. The Kiwi bowler set the tone for the Mumbai bowling unit, striking early as he got Gill lbw, confirmed after Gujarat's failed review.

After a disciplined beginning from Boult and Bumrah, Sai Sudharsan and Kusal Mendis (20) started to build up. Sudharsan got off the mark with a six off Boult, and Mendis, who came in for Buttler, retaliated with back-to-back sixes off the left-arm pacer. Mendis played a smooth innings, piercing holes with clean shots, but after a good beginning, he saw his night end after a run-out misunderstanding and was subsequently bowled by Mitchell Santner while trying a perilous sweep.

Sudharsan extended his fine touch, scoring his sixth half-century of the year in just 28 deliveries and crossing 700 for the season. He was supported by Washington Sundar with a solid 48, neutralizing pressure through a combination of fours and sixes, including an assertive 18-run over off Boult.

Hardik Pandya relied on Bumrah at a crucial moment as the partnership reached near the century. Bumrah produced a flawless yorker to get Sundar out, who was surprised.

Sherfane Rutherford (24) began in attacking fashion with three boundaries but failed to stop Sudharsan getting bowled by English seamer Jack Gleeson, who bowled him with a yorker as the batter tried to play a scoop shot.

In the final overs, Ashwani Kumar and Bumrah were tightening their strangle hold, allowing only a few runs. Rahul Tewatia smashed a six over the roof, but with 36 runs needed from 12 balls, Rutherford guided one to Tilak Varma at deep mid-wicket. Shahrukh Khan gave a glimmer of hope with a massive six, but with 30 runs left to be scored off seven balls, Gleeson's injury restricted his spell, and Ashwani Kumar wrapped up the innings by getting Shahrukh, winning the match for Mumbai.

Mumbai Indians had laid a daunting target after deciding to bat first. Rohit Sharma and newcomer Jonny Bairstow built a solid platform, scoring 228 for 5.

Rohit's innings was one of power-hitting, with nine boundaries and four sixes, even though he was dropped twice in his time at the crease, making full use of the opportunities to establish flow. Bairstow was aggressive right from the start, especially in the fourth over in which he hit three sixes against Prasidh Krishna, taking MI to 79 for no loss in the power-play—the highest ever in IPL playoffs.

Despite two dropped catches, Sudharsan pulled off a spectacular catch to deny Bairstow a half-century, diving to his left to keep the ball airborne until Coetzee took the catch.

Rohit reached his fourth half-century of the season off 28 balls before Suryakumar Yadav (33) continued MI’s assault with consecutive sixes off Coetzee. However, Mendis again failed to hold onto a chance that could have ended Yadav’s innings early.

Yadav took his tally to 15 consecutive T20 innings with 25-plus scores before mistiming a sweep off Sundar.

Both Rohit and Tilak Varma (25) smashed sixes against Coetzee, but Rohit was ultimately gone caught behind off a slower ball by Krishna.

Krishna's costly four-over spell produced 53 runs but he struck back as he saw Naman Dhir (9) off in the penultimate over, as Mumbai reached the 200-run mark.

Hardik Pandya completed the innings with three sixes off Coetzee in the last over, taking MI to 228 for 5.

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