MI beat GT in IPL 2025 Eliminator, reach Qualifier 2
What's the story
In the IPL 2025 Eliminator, Mumbai Indians (MI) overcame Gujarat Titans (GT) after setting a daunting target of 229 runs.
MI posted their second-highest total ever in an IPL playoff match.
MI rode on a fine 81 from Rohit Sharma's willow, who received two reprives early on.
Jonny Bairstow and Suryakumar Yadav contributed as well.
In response, Sai Sudharsan smashed 80 runs for Gujarat with Washington Sundar scoring 48.
However, MI got the job done to evict Shubman Gill's men.
Player performances
Bairstow's explosive debut and Rohit's steady innings
The innings was anchored by a blistering partnership of 84 runs between Bairstow and Rohit, who opened for MI after Ryan Rickelton's departure on international duty.
Bairstow made a stunning start to his MI career, scoring 47 runs off just 22 balls.
Meanwhile, Rohit scored a solid 81 off 50 balls.
The middle order also contributed significantly with Suryakumar, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya hitting three sixes each to keep the momentum going throughout the innings.
Strategic play
MI's batting strategy pays off
MI's decision to bat first paid off well, unlike Punjab Kings who were bowled out for a mere 101 runs at the same venue.
MI hit a total of 17 sixes in their innings, the joint third-most in any innings of IPL 2025.
Despite early chances for GT to dismiss Rohit, he capitalized on his luck and used the sweep against GT's spinners effectively.
After reaching his half-century, Rohit slowed down but the rest of MI's batters kept the scoring rate high.
Pandya finished off the innings in style, hitting three sixes off Gerald Coetzee in the last over.
Rohit
Dual milestone in terms of sixes for Rohit
Rohit became the first Indian batter to smoke 300 sixes in the IPL.
He hit 4 maximums in the match Eliminator versus Gujarat and has now raced to 302 maximums.
He is overall the 2nd batter in IPL history to smash 300-plus sixes after Chris Gayle (357). Rohit also completed 250 sixes for Mumbai Indians in the IPL (251).
Runs
2nd batter with 7,000-plus runs in IPL
Rohit's 81 saw him race past 7,000 runs in the IPL. He now owns 7,038 runs from 271 matches (266 innings) at 29.82.
He became the 2nd batter in IPL history with 7,000-plus runs after RCB talisman Virat Kohli (8,618).
5,868 of Rohit's IPL runs have come for MI (50s: 39, 100s: 2).
Rohit hit his 47th fifty in the IPL (100s: 2).
Do you know?
90th fifty-plus score and 547 sixes in T20s
Overall in the 20-over format, Rohit has raced to 12,240 runs from 462 matches (449 innings) at 30-plus. He registered his 82nd fifty in addition to owning 8 hundreds. Rohit now owns 547 sixes in 20 overs cricket.
MI batters
Key numbers of MI's Bairstow, SKY and Pandya
Bairstow's knock was laced with four fours and three sixes. He struck at 213.64.
He now owns 1,636 runs in the IPL at 34.80. He has smoked 72 sixes and 170 fours.
Suryakumar's 33 from 20 balls had 3 sixes and a four. He owns 673 runs in IPL 2025 at 67.30. Suryakumar has scored 4,267 runs in the IPL at 34.97. He has hit 450 fours.
Pandya's 22* from 9 balls had 3 sixes. He has 209 runs this season at 26.12.
GUJ bowlers
Summary and stats of the Gujarat bowlers
Mohammed Siraj claimed 1/37 from his four overs. He ended up with 16 wickets this season from 15 games at 32.93.
Prasidh Krishna bagged two wickets and conceded a whopping 53 runs. He is now the Purple Cap holder this season with 25 wickets at 19.52.
Sai Kishore bagged 2/42 from his 4 overs. He claimed 19 wickets this season at an impressive 20.68.
Rashid Khan went wicketless in his four overs (0/31). Gerald Coetzee conceded 51 runs from 3 overs.
Washington Sundar bowled one over and gave away 7 runs.
Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan signs off with 759 runs in IPL 2025
Sudharsan compiled 80 runs from 49 balls, hitting 10 fours and a six. He struck at 163.27.
Sudharsan surpassed 750 runs in IPL 2025 to sign off with a tally of 759 from 15 matches at 54.21. He registered his 6th fifty of the season (100s: 1).
He hit 88 fours and 21 sixes, striking at 156.17.
Numbers
14th T20 fifty for Sudharsan
Playing his 40th match in the IPL, Sudharsan raced to 1,793 runs at an average of 49.80. He slammed his 12th IPL fifty (100s: 2).
Meanwhile, the southpaw now owns 2,271 runs in T20s from 60 matches, as per ESPNcricinfo.
He averages 43.67 and hit his 14th fifty in the format (100s: 2).
In six IPL matches, Sudharsan owns 250 runs versus MI at an average of 41.66. He struck his 2nd fifty versus them. 80 is now his best score against MI.
Information
Sundar shines with a 48-run knock
Sundar scored a valiant 48-run knock from 24 balls, striking at a staggering 200. He smashed 5 fours and 3 sixes. Playing his 66th IPL match, Sundar has scored 511 runs at 15.48. His strike rate is 126.17.
MI bowlers
Boult and Bumrah deliver the goods for MI
Trent Boult conceded 56 runs from his 4 overs and claiming 2 scalps. In the IPL 2025 season, Boult has breached the 20-wicket mark, racing to 21 scalps at 22.80. Overall, he has 142 wickets in the tourney at 26.11.
Jasprit Bumrah was sensational once again. He bowled 4 overs and conceded 27 runs ( 1 wicket). He has 18 scalps this season at 15.33 from 11 matches. Overall, he owns 183 IPL wickets, going level with Dwayne Bravo.
Records
A massive record for Sudharsan
As per Cricbuzz, Sudharsan became the 5th batter in IPL history with 750-plus runs in a season.
Batters with 750-plus runs in an IPL season:
973 - Virat Kohli in 2016
890 - Shubman Gill in 2023
863 - Jos Buttler in 2022
848 - David Warner in 2016
759 - Sai Sudharsan in 2025
Do you know?
MI to face PBKS in Qualifier 2
MI will play in the Qualifier 2 versus Punjab Kings on Sunday in Ahmedabad. Earlier, Punjab were beaten by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1. RCB have already reached the final.