Mumbai Indians advance in IPL playoffs and knock out Gujarat Titans

NEW CHANDIGARH, India — Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah provided the turning point as Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Titans by 20 runs to advance in the Indian Premier League knockouts on Friday.

Bumrah took a miserly 1-27 in four overs, the one wicket being Washington Sundar in the 14th over to end his and Sai Sudharsan's 84-run, 44-ball partnership. Sundar scored 48 off 24.

Sudharsan led Gujarat's chase of 229 with 80 off 49 balls but he was bowled by Richard Gleeson in the 16th over and the pressure was too much.

Gujarat finished at 208-6 in reply to Mumbai's 228-5, highlighted by Rohit Sharma's 81 off 50 balls.

Record five-time champion Mumbai will play Punjab Kings on Sunday in Ahmedabad to decide who will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final.

Dropped catches

Opting to bat, Mumbai set an attacking tempo in the powerplay and the openers benefitted from sloppy Gujarat fielding.

Sharma was dropped twice and Jonny Bairstow also enjoyed a life. They shared 84 off 44. Bairstow was finally caught in the eighth over — the dismissal took a relay catch — on 44 off 27 but there was no respite.

Suryakumar Yadav, dropped once as well, hit 33 off 20 with three sixes, adding 59 off 34 balls with Sharma.

The former India skipper, who recently retired from tests, scored his fifth half-century of the season. Overall, Sharma hit nine fours and four sixes.

He was out to a slower delivery from Prasidh Krishna in the 17th over — the pacer finished with 25 wickets in 15 matches, currently the IPL leading wicket-taker.

Cameos from Tilak Varma (25 off 11 balls) and Hardik Pandya (22 not out off nine balls) helped Mumbai put on a par-plus total. Varma and Pandya hit six sixes between them.

Sudharsan shines

In reply, Gujarat captain Shubman Gill was out early, bowled by Trent Boult for 1.

Sudharsan and Kusal Mendis counterattacked with 64 off 34 balls. Mendis scored 20 off 10 balls before he stepped onto the stumps.

Sudharsan reached his sixth half-century of the season, and moved up a gear in Sundar's company. Their whirlwind stand benefitted from a dewy outfield as Mumbai searched for answers as Gujarat took charge of a tall chase.

Sundar hit five fours and three sixes, while Sudharsan hit 10 boundaries and one six.

Mumbai struck back when Bumrah returned in the 14th over and bowled Sundar between his legs with a yorker.

Two overs later, Sudharsan was bowled trying to ramp Gleeson over short fine leg. The left-handed batter was the IPL leading run-scorer with 759 in 15 matches, but there won't be a 16th for the 2022 champions.

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