MI keep believing

Rohit Sharma smashed his highest score of the season before the bowlers held their nerves in a do-or-die match as Mumbai Indians eliminated Gujarat Titans with a 20-run win to keep their IPL final hopes alive.

Chasing the highest IPL total at this ground, the Titans stayed in the game till the time opener Sai Sudharsan (80 off 49 balls) was at the crease. The opener displayed his class, temperament and confidence, threatening to take the game away from MI. However, once he fell playing his favourite scoop shot off pacer Richard Gleeson, Mumbai got the upper hand.

While Titans skipper Shubman Gill (1) fell to Trent Boult in the first over, Sudharsan continued his golden run of the season. He shared a 64-run stand with Kusal Mendis (20 off 10) before finding support in Washington Sundar (48 off 24 balls). Their partnership of 84 runs off 44 balls finally came to a halt as Jasprit Bumrah’s yorker stunned Sundar in the 14th over.

Earlier, Mumbai Indians posted 228/5 after Titans dropped three crucial catches — two of Sharma (81 off 50) and one of Suryakumar Yadav (33 off 20). They produced another ordinary effort with the ball. In their last three matches, the bowlers had conceded 664 runs while taking 10 wickets, and the situation remained the same today.

Mumbai openers Rohit and Jonny Bairstow (47 off 22) gave the team an explosive start to post 84 in seven overs. On a surface which had less grass compared to the one used in the last match, the Englishman provided the momentum in the powerplay with some sublime hitting.

Bairstow targeted Prasidh Krishna, plundering him for 26 in the fourth over of the innings that included three sixes.

After Bairstow fell, Rohit continued to push the innings with Suryakumar. Later, Tilak Varma (25 off 11) smashed three sixes in quick time before skipper Hardik Pandya (22 off 9) hit a couple of sixes in the 20th over.

“I’ve got only four fifties (this IPL season). I think I would have liked to get more. I do understand the importance of playing the Eliminator and it was a complete team performance,” said Rohit, who was named the Player of the Match. “It’s trying to understand how I can play my best. Today, after having the luck going my way, I knew I had to make the most of it.”