Rohit Sharma powered Mumbai Indians into Qualifier 2 with a commanding 81-run knock, as the five-time champions knocked Gujarat Titans out of IPL 2025 with a 20-run win in the Eliminator on Friday. Opting to bat first at the New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh), Mumbai posted an imposing 228 for 5, thanks to a blazing opening stand between Rohit and England’s Jonny Bairstow, who chipped in with a quickfire 47.Despite a valiant 80 from the in-form Sai Sudharsan, Gujarat Titans could only manage 208 for 6 in response, falling short in a must-win contest. Mumbai will now face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday, with a spot in the June 3 title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru up for grabs.After the loss, a visibly dejected GT skipper Shubman Gill lamented his team’s fielding lapses.“Brilliant game of cricket, we were right in it. Last three-four overs didn’t go our way but still a good game. Definitely not easy when we drop 3 sitters. Wasn’t easy for the bowlers to control and doesn’t help when you drop 3 catches,” Gill said at the post-match presentation.“Message was simple (for Sai and Washington). Just play the game you want to play and the goal was the same for both of them to make us win. Because of the dew, the wicket did become little easier for us.“Definitely lot of positives for us. Last 2-3 games didn’t go our way but credit to all the players, especially Sai – he was terrific for us this season. 210 would’ve been par for us on this pitch,” he added.
Bairstow, making his first appearance this season after joining MI during the playoffs due to the departure of several overseas players for national duty, made an immediate impact with his 22-ball knock.Rohit, meanwhile, capitalised on two early reprieves — dropped on 3 and 12 — as Gujarat’s fielders had a forgettable day. Both Gerald Coetzee and Kusal Mendis missed straightforward chances, allowing Rohit to flourish and cross the 7000-run mark in IPL. He brought up his 47th IPL half-century with a crisp boundary.Bairstow missed out on a fifty after being dismissed by left-arm spinner Sai Kishore, with Coetzee completing a relay catch after a rebound off Sudharsan. Suryakumar Yadav continued the assault with a 20-ball 33 (3×6, 1×4), while Tilak Varma contributed 25 before falling to Mohammed Siraj. Captain Hardik Pandya provided the late fireworks with an unbeaten 22 off just 9 balls, smashing Coetzee for 22 runs in the final over.
Gujarat’s chase got off to a disastrous start, with Trent Boult trapping Shubman Gill lbw for 1 in the first over. But Sai Sudharsan, who is now the tournament’s top scorer with 759 runs, kept them in the hunt with a stroke-filled 80. He shared a vital 84-run stand with Washington Sundar (48 off 24), who also looked in fine touch.However, Jasprit Bumrah produced a pinpoint yorker to dismiss Sundar, and Richard Gleeson clean bowled Sudharsan to derail Gujarat’s chase. Sherfane Rutherford’s 24 offered a late glimmer of hope, but Mumbai’s bowlers held their nerve. With 24 needed off the final over, Gleeson — who walked off midway with what appeared to be cramps — and Ashwani Kumar kept things tight to seal MI’s place in the next round.
