Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 1: Gujarat Titans' dreams of making it to the IPL 2025 final came to an abrupt end after a crushing defeat against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. Rohit Sharma’s brilliant 81 off 50 balls propelled MI to a commanding 228/5 a total that proved too steep for GT to chase down.
Rohit, who had luck on his side after being dropped twice during the powerplay, capitalised on the missed chances and powered Mumbai to a winning total. The Gujarat bowlers rued those fielding lapses that eventually cost them dearly.
Veteran India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, analysing the game on his YouTube channel, raised eyebrows with a cheeky comment about Mumbai Indians’ recurring good fortune in high-stakes games.
“I’ve noticed this with MI often,” Ashwin recalled. “Back in 2018, I was captaining Punjab against them. They were down at 80-odd for five in 13 overs. Then, suddenly the floodlights went off and we had a 20-minute break. When the game resumed, Pollard went berserk, and they ended up with close to 200.”
Taking a dig, Ashwin added, “MI always get lucky. Of course, you earn your luck. But MI always get lucky. We need to figure out how.”
With this win, Mumbai Indians move into Qualifier 2, where they will face Punjab Kings (PBKS). The winner will book a ticket to the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on June 3.
Given their rich knockout experience and clutch performances over the years, MI — led by Hardik Pandya — are now being seen as favourites to go all the way, despite entering the playoffs through a tight finish in the league stage.