In the IPL Eliminator against Gujarat Titans on Friday, May 30 2025, Mumbai Indians' seasoned campaigners Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah were the difference-makers, underlining the timeless adage that in cricket, it's the big players who deliver on the big occasions.
Although it was an out-and-out team effort by Mumbai, both Rohit and Bumrah stood tall, exhibiting a level of skill and composure and enabled the five-time champions to avenge their defeat against Titans who ended their campaign in the 2023 Eliminator.
Rohit played an outstanding hand with the bat, crafting a brilliant 50-all 81 and propelling Mumbai to a massive 228-5 in the winner-take-it-all rumble.
The Mumbaikar made most of the two lifelines offered to him by Titans fielders. He was on 3 off 4 balls when Gerald Coetzee put down a sitter in the second over bowled by Prasidh Krishna.
In the next over, bowled by Mohammed Siraj, Rohit was once again let off, this time by wicket-keeper Kushal Mendis when he was on 12 off 9 balls.
Rubbing salt into the wounds, his opening partner Jonny Bairstow took Prasidh to the cleaners in the next over, carting three sixes and two fours, injecting the much-needed impetus to the Mumbai innings.
Soon Rohit too found his groove with a series of sweep shots and crisp drives to race away to his half-century off 28 balls.
A couple of balls after completing his fifty, he got another life, with Prasidh spilling a tough chance at short fine off Sai Kishore's bowling. By the time he fell to Prasidh in the 17th over, Rohit had ensured that Titans would have a mountain to climb to reach the Qualifier 2.
There were nine fours and four sixes in his whirlwind knock.
The ever-reliable Bumrah with the ball was impeccable, making a key breakthrough at a pivotal juncture to put the opposition on the backfoot.
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He started off with a measly over, giving away just four runs and turning the screws on Titans who had already lost Skipper Shubman Gill in the mammoth chase.
He was entrusted with the final over of the Powerplay and did a decent job, conceding only 11 runs when the asking rate was hovering around 13.
By the time he returned to bowl the thirteenth over, Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar had stitched together an 81-run stand off 43 balls for the third wicket and Titans were in a commanding position, needing 81 runs off 42 balls with eight wickets in hand.
Mumbai were in a spot of bother as both batters were scoring freely with fluent strokeplay and deft touches, sucking the spirit out of an otherwise buoyant Mumbai camp.
At that juncture, with his team staring down the barrel, Bumrah showed why he is still the man to do the job.
After giving away just three runs off his first three balls, the wiry slinger unleashed his magic with a ripping yorker. Sundar opened the face of his bat, trying to flick it away, but the pace and precision foxed him as the ball sneaked through his legs and crashed into the leg-stump.
That particular ball turned the match on its head and swung the momentum in Mumbai's favour.
Although Sudharsan (81 off 49, 10x4, 1x6) and Sherfane Rutherford (24 off 15, 4x4) tried hard, it wasn't enough to power Titans through to the finish.
Titans were 184-4 in 17 overs, needing 45 runs off 18 deliveries when Bumrah came to bowl his final over. Although Rahul Tewatia hit him for a six, he delivered accurate yorkers one after another and finished his quota with excellent figures of 1-27.
With the 20-run defeat, Titans exited IPL 2025 as Mumbai marched into Qualifier 2, maintaining their incredible record in do-or-die games over the years.
Mumbai have played 21 playoff games since the introduction of the new format. Of which they have won 14 and lost only 7. Batting first, they have won 9 games out of 10, while chasing, they have emerged victorious five times out of 11.
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Since 2015, their playoffs record has been outstanding, winning 10 of the 12 final-four games.
Chasing a record sixth IPL title, Hardik and Co. will be high on confidence when they square off with Punjab Kings on June 1 for a spot in the final.
If they clear that hurdle and go on to beat RCB in the final, they will become the first team in IPL history to win the coveted trophy after finishing fourth on the points table.
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