End-game masters MI eliminate GT

Mullanpur: When it comes to crunch matches where there’s a lot on the line, Mumbai Indians have this uncanny ability to raise the bar, especially in key moments. It’s that special forte that has powered them to a record-equalling five IPL titles. That champions mentality was visible in the Eliminator on Friday where they held off a spirited Sai Sudharsan from pulling off a miraculous chase for Gujarat Titans.

Mighty Mumbai first brought out their A game during batting as brilliant but chancy knocks from former skipper Rohit Sharma (81, 50b), Jonny Bairstow (47, 22b) and Suryakumar Yadav (33, 20b) steered them to an extremely competitive 228/5 in 20 overs at the new PCA Stadium.

Gujarat’s hopes of scaling that target rested largely on the shoulders of their in-form young guns Shubman Gill and Sudharsan. And when skipper Gill, their second highest run-getter this season, departed for 1 in just the fourth ball of the chase, it looked like Mumbai were on course to setting up a Qualifier 2 date with Punjab Kings. 

The 23-year-old Sudharsan (80, 49b), the standout Indian batter this season who has taken his game to an all new level, however had other plans. He believed he can pull off a coup and went about his business of tearing apart a strong Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack with elan. With fresh arrival Kusal Mendis (20, 10b) and Washington Sundar (48, 24b) giving him great company in go all-out without any fear in their minds in the second and third wicket partnerships, Gujarat seemed determined to pull off the impossible.

Runs kept coming in a canter and when the partnership between Sudharsan and Sundar began to grow past the 70-run mark with both playing the big shots with consummate ease, the MI camp started to feel the tension. They needed to break the partnership to quell the momentum flowing with GT. Skipper Hardik Pandya had no option but to summon his main man Jasprit Bumrah in the 14th over and the master pacer delivered instantly.

Bumrah dished out his patented yorker and Sundar, seeing the ball like a football until then, was completely flummoxed by the bullet and he played all over it to be bowled. But with Sudharsan still there and few big hitters set to follow, the game was still in the balance though.

It, however, changed decisively towards Mumbai in the 16th over when an overambitious shot from Sudharsan cost him his wicket. The southpaw shuffled in a bid to play the scoop shot but Gleeson stuck to his straight line and rattled the stumps of the batter. Gleeson celebrated vehemently while Sudharsan wore a downcast look, both knowing that was the big moment.

Mumbai bowlers then kept delivering some tight overs to slowly hammer the nails on GT’s coffin. The 2022 champions refused to give up and kept finding a way to eventually reduce the equation to 24 off the final over.

It was a climb too steep and Mumbai Indians sealed a 20-run win.