GT vs MI | Sloppy Gujarat crash out in high-scoring Eliminator as Rohit's 80 proves decisive for Mumbai

Opting to bat first, Mumbai Indians got off to a scary start with Rohit Sharma offering two easy opportunities within the first three overs either side of consecutive boundaries, but reprieves from Gerald Coetzee and Kusal Mendis allowed the former skipper to settle in alongwith Jonny Bairstow. The latter smashed Prasidh Krishna for 26 runs in the fourth over as a consequence and by the end of the powerplay, the score read a daunting 79/0. Shubman Gill brought in spin from both ends as soon as the field spread to combat the scoring rates, and the move paid off instantly when Rashid Khan conceded just two runs before a spectacular parry off Bairstow from Sai Sudharsan at point handed Sai Kishore the first breakthrough. Nevertheless, Rohit kept motoring along, smashing a six and a four off Rashid to follow before bringing up a 28-ball fifty with a boundary off Kishore. Suryakumar Yadav commemorated the milestone with a slew of boundaries, bookended by Mendis letting slip another. By the time he departed for a breezy 33 off 20, the score read 143/2 with seven overs still to go. A slower ball from Prasidh saw Rohit miss out on a century but quick cameos from Tilak Varma (25 off 11) and Hardik Pandya (22 off 9) at the death got MI to 228/5.

In response, Gujarat suffered a major early setback when the in-form Gill lasted just two deliveries before being trapped in front by Trent Boult. Nevertheless, Sai Sudharsan played his usual attacking brand of risk-free cricket, while Kusal Mendis tried to fill the Jos Buttler-sized hole with a gorgeous array of strokes to race to 20 off just nine deliveries. The duo had set the foundation with a powerplay score of 66/1 but just when they seemed ready to build a big stand, Mendis horrifically brought about his own demise by trodding onto the stumps. Sudharsam remained unfettered all the same as he brought up a 28-ball half-century in the same over, and found able company in Washington Sundar at the other end. Together, the two tallied 84 runs off just 44 deliveries before Jasprit Bumrah once again turned the tide around by sounding Sundar the death rattle. Even though Sherfane Rutherford reinjected hope with three quick boundaries early into his knock, Richard Gleeson knocked over Sudharsan for 80 off 49 to leave the Titans needing 54 off the final four. Overs from Ashwani Kumar and Bumrah netted nine runs each, before Rutherford holed out in the penultimate over to have the equation reading 24 in the final over. Just three runs in the first three balls from Gleeson sealed the deal, setting Mumbai on their way to Qualifier 2.