IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans halt Mumbai Indians' winning run

MUMBAI: In one of the strangest matches played out this season, Gujarat Titans prevailed over Mumbai Indians in a nail-biting but frustrating, rain-affected affair. Fortunes swung wildly before GT’s batters prevailed off the last ball, in an extended 19th over of their chase following a long rain break and lengthy deliberations, to take the side to a three-wicket win (DLS method). At the first rain break, Gujarat Titans were sitting comfortably at 107/2 and required just 49 in six overs to win. However, Mumbai Indians returned with renewed energy after the break, and led by the inimitable Jasprit Bumrah, turned the match on its head. By the second rain break, MI had reduced GT to 132/6, but more importantly, the visitors were five runs behind the DLS par score when a heavy spell of rain came in. GT still required 24 off the last two overs, and it looked all over for them. Animated discussions ensured, however, after rain had abated, and GT’s target was eventually revised to 15 runs off an over, with the game restarting half an hour past midnight. Big puddles were still visible in the outfield when Rahul Tewatia and Gerald Coetzee came out to face MI pacer Deepak Chahar. Tewatia struck a four off the first ball, Coetzee clobbered one over long off and suddenly, GT needed only four of three. More drama followed as Coetzee fell chasing the glory shot, and eventually Tewatia and Arshad Khan scrambled a single off the last ball to eke out the win. Defending a target of 156, MI bowlers were on point from the start, not allowing GT batters any freebies. The result was immediate as Trent Boult (2/22) continued his trend of striking in his first over when he got Sai Sudharsan to nick one to the ’keeper Rickelton off the second ball of the second over. That was a significant wicket for MI as Sudharsan was second in the Orange Cap list and had been involved in crucial opening stands with skipper Shubman Gill (43; 46b, 3x4, 1x6). For MI, the threat wasn’t averted, though, as Gill, along with Jos Buttler (30; 27b, 3x4, 1x6) had the ability to take the game away from MI. MI bowlers stuck to their plans, bowled a tight line and length and conceded just 29 runs in the Powerplay. Even when Gill and Buttler’s 72-run stand for the second wicket was flourishing, MI ensured they didn’t lose control of the contest. Ashwani Kumar (2/28) got Buttler caught behind to break that partnership and keep MI’s slim hopes alive. MI’s intention was to take the match as deep as possible, knowing that the rest of the GT batters hadn’t had a decent outing in the middle. But the game shifted after the 27-minute break with Bumrah (2/19) leading the way. The rightarm pacer cleaned up Gill with a delivery that pitched, cut back at pace, and caught Gill in no man’s land. In the next over, Boult trapped Sherfane Rutherford (28, 15b; 2x4, 2x6) leg-before, and then Bumrah cleaned up Shahrukh Khan. The question was whether the GT middle and lower-middle order could take them over the line, and they managed to do so.