In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Titans launched their IPL 2025 campaign with a formidable 36-run victory against the Mumbai Indians. This match, played on a vibrant Saturday, marked the Titans’ first points of the season, while the Mumbai Indians faced their second consecutive defeat.
Opting to bowl first, Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya saw his decision backfire as Gujarat’s openers, Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, unleashed a barrage of boundaries. Sudharsan scored a brisk 63 off 41 balls, while Gill contributed 38 off 27, propelling the Titans to a commanding 66/0 in the powerplay. Their partnership was eventually broken by Pandya in the ninth over, after a solid 78-run opening stand.
Following Gill’s departure, Jos Buttler joined Sudharsan at the crease, accelerating the scoring rate with a quickfire 39 off 24 balls. Together, they added 51 runs, pushing the Titans to 129/2 by the 13.5 over mark. Sudharsan reached his half-century before being dismissed by Trent Boult in the 18th over. Despite a late flurry of wickets, Gujarat Titans managed to post a challenging total of 196/8.
In their chase, Mumbai Indians struggled to find their rhythm. Early strikes by Mohammed Siraj, who claimed 2/34, saw the dismissals of Rohit Sharma (8) and Ryan Rickelton (6) within the powerplay, leaving MI at a precarious 35/2. A spirited 62-run partnership between Tilak Varma (39 off 36) and Suryakumar Yadav (48 off 28) offered hope, but their efforts were thwarted by Prasidh Krishna (2/18), who dismantled the partnership.
Mumbai Indians eventually limped to 160/6, falling short by 36 runs. The Gujarat Titans’ victory was a testament to their batting depth and bowling prowess, while Mumbai Indians’ batting woes continued to haunt them in the early stages of IPL 2025.
Brief scores: Gujarat Titans 196/8 (Sai Sudharsan 63, Jos Buttler 39, Shubman Gill 38; Hardik Pandya 1/25, Trent Boult 1/30) beat Mumbai Indians 160/6 (Suryakumar Yadav 48, Tilak Varma 39; Mohammed Siraj 2/34, Prasidh Krishna 2/18) by 36 runs.