IPL 2025 Playoffs: Rohit Sharma punishes GT’s butter-fingers in Eliminator | Cricket News

TimesofIndia.com in Mullanpur: A day after a one-sided affair in Qualifier 1, the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI) proved to be precisely what the physician ordered on the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur. It went all the way down to the wire as MI defeated GT by 20 runs. MI will now tackle Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 on Sunday on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat.Rohit rides his luckRohit Sharma (81 off 50 balls; 9×4, 4×6) made probably the most of two reprieves supplied by GT fielders because the five-time champions delivered a powerful assertion within the must-win match. After successful the toss, MI posted a formidable 228 for five.Rohit was dropped twice—first by Gerald Coetzee after which by Kusal Mendis—and he made GT pay for these missed probabilities. Within the second over, Prasidh Krishna banged one in brief, and Rohit miscued a pull excessive into the air. Coetzee had sufficient time, stored his eyes on the ball, however shelled the skier. Rohit was on 4 on the time, trying to break away with a swivel pull.

Within the subsequent over, Rohit dispatched two pleasant boundaries off Mohammed Siraj. Siraj may’ve had the final snort, however Mendis fumbled a thick edge behind the stumps—failing to seize it in two makes an attempt.The fourth over fully turned the tide in MI’s favour, as Jonny Bairstow hammered 26 runs off Prasidh Krishna’s second over—that includes three sixes, together with a monster hit into the second tier at Mullanpur.Making his first look of the season, Bairstow got here out firing on all cylinders. He and Rohit solid a rollicking 84-run opening partnership, with 79 of these runs coming within the powerplay. Bairstow blazed his approach to a 22-ball 47 earlier than falling to Sai Kishore.The powerplay onslaught set the tone, and the remainder of the MI batting unit stored the momentum going. Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 20 balls; 1×4, 3×6) and Tilak Varma (25 off 11; 3×6) chipped in with impactful cameos. Captain Hardik Pandya (22* off 9; 3×6) supplied the ending touches, smashing Coetzee for 22 runs within the remaining over.Prasidh Krishna (2/53) and Sai Kishore (2/42) took two wickets every, however most of GT’s bowlers proved costly. Nonetheless, Group India administration and Take a look at captain Shubman Gill could also be involved after Mohammed Siraj, who dismissed Tilak Varma within the 18th over, appeared to drag his hamstring later in the identical over.Sai sizzles once moreSai Sudharsan continues to redefine orthodoxy in T20 cricket. His classical approach provides a refreshing counter to the notion that T20 cricket is eroding conventional abilities. On this IPL season, Sudharsan has proven that the 2 codecs—Take a look at and T20—can certainly coexist. Whereas broadcasters could attempt to strip away the “cricket” from T20, gamers like Sudharsan maintain placing it proper again in.On Friday, the 23-year-old produced one more masterclass. He scored an aesthetic 80 off 49 balls, laced with 10 boundaries and a six. Regardless of his aggressive method, Sudharsan hardly ever loses form, showcasing a full vary of correct cricketing photographs.GT’s chase started on a poor word, with Trent Boult eradicating skipper Shubman Gill for simply 1. However Sudharsan continued in red-hot kind, hitting a six off Boult and discovering assist in Kusal Mendis, who launched two sixes in the identical over. The duo stored the momentum going, particularly as Sudharsan struck two boundaries off Richard Gleeson’s first over.

Hardik Pandya introduced himself on however was welcomed with two boundaries from Sudharsan and one from Mendis, who narrowly escaped a run-out on the finish of the powerplay. Nonetheless, Mendis was quickly out in weird vogue—hit wicket after stepping on the stumps and falling flat on his again.Sudharsan discovered one other ready associate in Washington Sundar (48 off 24), and collectively they stitched an 84-run stand off simply 46 balls. At that time, GT regarded properly on track to make Qualifier 2. However Jasprit Bumrah, the final word T20 cheat code, yorked Sundar to interrupt the stand.Shortly after, Gleeson dismissed Sudharsan, successfully ending GT’s hopes. Decrease-order efforts from Sherfane Rutherford (24), Rahul Tewatia (16), and Shahrukh Khan (16) weren’t sufficient, as MI held their nerves and marched on to the following spherical.