Inspired by a stroke-filled 81 (50b; 9x4, 4x6) from Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians kept Gujarat Titans at bay in a high-scoring, thriller of a game to advance to Qualifier 2, where they will now take on Punjab Kings for a shot at a final berth.
Titans were left heartbroken in spite of a brilliant innings by Sai Sudharsan (80; 49b, 10x4, 1x6). Chasing a mammoth 229, Gujarat eventually fell short by 20 runs and crashed out of the tournament after losing three matches in a row. Mumbai, meanwhile, appear to be inching closer to their dream of title No. 6.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!GT started the chase in the worst fashion when Gill (1) was trapped leg-before by Trent Boult, who has a tremendous knack of picking wickets in the Powerplay overs. But Sudharsan put on 64 in just 34 balls for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis to reignite the chase.
Showing why he has received his maiden Test call-up for India’s tour of England in June-July, Sudharsan found an able ally in India allrounder Washington Sundar (48; 24b, 5x4, 3x6) as the Tamil Nadu duo added 84 in 44 balls for the third wicket.
It required a moment of typical genius from Jasprit Bumrah (1/27 in four overs) to break the stand. Reintroduced into the attack in the 14th over, the premier pacer in world cricket unleashed a missile-like yorker than forced Sundar to save his toes as it dislodged the leg stump.
Sudharsan was bowled off a full toss by IPL debutant Richard Gleeson while trying to play a scoop shot in the 16th over. Sherfane Rutherford kept GT in the hunt for a while but it was not enough.
Earlier, enjoying a rich vein of luck when he was dropped twice early in his innings, Rohit gave the MI innings an electric start.
Making his debut for the five-time champions, England’s out-of-favour veteran ’keeper-batter Jonny Bairstow also made instant impact, smashing 47 off just 22 balls in an innings laden with four fours and three sixes to lay the platform for the huge score after MI chose to bat first.
The butter-fingered Titans dropped three crucial catches — two of Rohit and one of Suryakumar Yadav. Rohit was only on three when he was dropped by Gerald Coetzee at deep square-leg in the second over off Prasidh Krishna, and then again on 12 by ’keeper Kusal Mendis off Mohammed Siraj. Mendis also grassed Suryakumar off Coetzee when he was batting on 25. The reprieves allowed MI to tonk as many as 17 sixes on the night and plunder runs at will.
Rohit and Bairstow teed off the innings at breath-taking pace, putting on an 84-run opening partnership in just 44 balls. Rohit then added 59 off just 34 balls for the second wicket with Suryakumar (33, 20b, 1x4, 3x6).
Enduring a rather quiet time in the IPL so far, India’s T20 batter Tilak Varma then displayed a glimpse of his class with a blazing cameo (25; 11b, 3x6) as the classy left-hander put on 43 in just 22 balls with Rohit.
For the third match in a row, GT, whose bowlers seem to have completely gone off the boil by now, conceded in excess of 225. Much to India’s worry ahead of the five-Test tour to England next month, Siraj looked in considerable pain and even required on-field treatment during his final over. Between them, Krishna (2-53 in four overs) and Coetzee (51-0 in three overs) conceded 104 in seven overs, enduring a horrible night.
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