A day after the one-sided Qualifier 1 encounter, the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) was just what the doctor had ordered at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur. Down to the wire, MI beat GT by 20 runs. MI will now face Punjab Kings on Sunday at Qualifier 2 from the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat.
Rohit Sharma Rides His Luck for Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma (81 off 50 balls; 9×4, 4×6) capitalised on two life given by GT fielders as five-time champions made a strong statement in the do-or-die match. Tossing first, Mumbai Indians put on a strong show of 228 for 5.
Rohit was dropped twice initially by Gerald Coetzee and then by Kusal Mendis and he made GT pay for the two missed opportunities. Prasidh Krishna short-banged one in the second over, and Rohit mis-hit a pull high in the air. Coetzee had sufficient time, watched the ball with his eyes, but missed the skier. Rohit was 4 at that moment, trying to free himself with a swivel pull.
In the next over, Rohit dispatched two delightful boundaries off Mohammed Siraj. Siraj could’ve had the last laugh, but Mendis fumbled a thick edge behind the stumps failing to grab it in two attempts.
The fourth over completely turned the tide in MI’s favour, as Jonny Bairstow hammered 26 runs off Prasidh Krishna’s second over featuring three sixes, including a monster hit into the second tier at Mullanpur.
Appearance-making after being out of action for the entire season, Bairstow went about his opening innings like a house on fire. He, together with Rohit, pushed out a rollicking 84-run opening partnership and, indeed, 79 of those runs were scored during the powerplay. Bairstow struck a 22-ball 47 before he was removed by Sai Kishore.
Powerplay Onslaught and Solid Cameos for Mumbai Indians
The powerplay attack started the charge, and the other Mumbai Indians batsmen continued the momentum. Suryakumar Yadav (33 in 20 balls; 1×4, 3×6) and Tilak Varma (25 in 11; 3×6) contributed with threatening cameos.
Captain Hardik Pandya (22* off 9; 3×6) put the finishing touches, hitting Coetzee for 22 runs off the last over. Prasidh Krishna (2/53) and Sai Kishore (2/42) claimed two wickets apiece, but GT’s majority of bowlers were expensive. Team India management and Test skipper Shubman Gill might worry after Mohammed Siraj, who had dismissed Tilak Varma in the 18th over, seemed to pull his hamstring in the latter part of the same over.
Sai Sudharsan Shines Again
Sai Sudharsan keeps redefining orthodoxy in T20 cricket. His classical style provides a welcome antidote to the perception that T20 cricket is destroying traditional skills.
This IPL season, Sudharsan proved that the two formats Test and T20 can actually coexist. While the broadcasters may attempt to remove the “cricket” from T20, performers like Sudharsan keep placing it right back where it belongs.
On Friday, the 23-year-old churned out another masterclass. He made a classy 80 off 49 balls, studded with 10 boundaries and a six. For all his aggression, Sudharsan hardly ever loses shape, playing a full repertoire of correct cricketing shots.
GT’s pursuit got off to a dismal start, with Trent Boult sending skipper Shubman Gill back for a score of only 1. But Sudharsan stayed in hot touch, scoring a six off Boult and gaining the support of Kusal Mendis, who slammed two sixes in the same over. Together, they sustained the rate, particularly as Sudharsan scored two boundaries in Richard Gleeson’s opening over.
Gujarat Titans’ Collapse and Dominance of Mumbai Indians
Hardik Pandya brought himself into the attack, but Sudharsan greeted him with two boundaries and Mendis added another after narrowly escaping a run-out at the end of the powerplay.
Once again, Mendis got out in bizarre fashion he stepped over the stumps, hit his wicket, and fell flat on his back. Sudharsan discovered another capable partner in Washington Sundar (48 off 24), and they sewed an 84-run partnership off just 46 balls.
At that stage, GT seemed well set to reach Qualifier 2. But Jasprit Bumrah, the quintessential T20 cheat code, yorked Sundar to end the stand. Gleeson soon followed up by getting rid of Sudharsan, essentially killing GT’s chances. Lower-order contributions from Sherfane Rutherford (24), Rahul Tewatia (16), and Shahrukh Khan (16) were not enough, as Mumbai Indians kept their cool and went on to the next phase.
