Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah after the star pacer delivered a game-changing spell that helped MI secure a 20-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025 Eliminator.
Chasing a daunting 229-run target, GT looked on course with Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar building momentum. But the tide turned when Pandya brought Bumrah back into the attack. The pace spearhead responded with a lethal toe-crushing yorker to dismiss Sundar, halting the Titans’ charge. His final over yielded just nine runs, cementing Mumbai’s path to victory.
Mumbai Indians now advance to face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
Pandya humorously likened Bumrah’s value to Mumbai’s skyrocketing real estate prices, saying,
“It’s very simple: whenever you feel the game is slipping away, just bring him in. He’s like Mumbai housing prices – that expensive! I just need to throw him the ball. That penultimate over was crucial; it gave us breathing space and widened the margin.”
Pandya also credited MI’s batting unit, especially Jonny’s impactful debut and Rohit Sharma’s composed knock.
“The way Jonny started, the way Rohit batted—he took his time and anchored the innings. In high-stakes games, such margins matter,” he added.
While Bumrah starred with the ball, it was Rohit Sharma who laid the platform with the bat. The former MI skipper scored a commanding 81 off 50 balls, capitalizing on two dropped chances to steer Mumbai to a formidable 228.
Reflecting on his innings, Rohit admitted he got lucky but emphasized the importance of seizing opportunities.
“I’ve only scored four fifties this season—I’d have liked more. But in an Eliminator, you have to deliver. Once I got those lifelines, I knew I had to make them count,” said Rohit.
“Even with dew making things tricky, I trusted my shots. Yes, I got lucky with those drops, but you still have to perform after that,” he added.
With a complete team performance and key players stepping up at the right time, MI will look to carry their momentum into the next high-stakes clash.
— IANS
