GT vs MI Eliminator Highlights: Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Titans; MI to play against PBKS on Sunday

Mumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Naman Dhir, 6 Hardik Pandya (Captain), 7 Raj Bawa, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Richard Gleeson

Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (Captain), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 M Shahrukh Khan, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Gerald Coetzee, 9 Arshad Khan, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna

The toss tonight will decide several important things. Pandya and Gill are on the pitch. Coin flipped. Mumbai Indians win the toss and Pandya has opted to bat first against Gujarat Titans.

Tonight’s action shifts to Mullanpur, the same venue where RCB crushed Punjab Kings on a lively surface in Qualifier 1. That pitch had sharp bounce, noticeable seam movement and plenty of spice. However, this evening’s clash will unfold on a fresh strip, so it remains to be seen whether bowlers will enjoy similar assistance or if conditions take a different turn altogether.

The toss for the game is coming up shortly. Skippers Pandya and Gill will be on the pitch for the coin toss at around 7 pm.

Gujarat Titans began their IPL journey with precision and purpose, dominating the points table for much of the season. Despite a thrilling 11-run loss to Punjab Kings in their opener, the Shubman Gill-led squad quickly rebounded with four consecutive victories.

Their winning streak was halted by Lucknow Super Giants, who handed them a six-wicket defeat in GT’s sixth game. While a few stumbles followed, the Titans kept their momentum alive for the playoffs.

After a sudden mid-season break, GT returned with a statement win. They beat Delhi Capitals by 10-wickets to seal their spot in the playoffs. However, just when they seemed destined for a top-two finish, back-to-back losses at the tail end of the league stage saw them slip to third place. We’ll see where it goes from here tonight.

Mumbai Indians had a rocky takeoff this season, losing their first two games before finding some lift with an 8-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders. But turbulence continued, with losses piling up until their fifth match.

In a mid-season turnaround, a six-match winning streak reignited hopes and reminded fans why MI is one of the league’s most feared sides. Just as they looked unstoppable, Gujarat Titans clipped their wings.

A crucial win over Delhi Capitals secured them a spot in the playoffs, but dreams of topping the table slipped after a costly defeat to Punjab Kings.

Since the IPL adopted the playoffs system, the fourth-placed team has never gone on to lift the trophy. The odds have heavily favored the frontrunners. 13 out of 14 titles have been clinched by teams finishing in the top two.

The only exception was Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, who pulled off a rare feat by storming from third place through the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 to claim the crown.

In T20s, MI’s Suryakumar Yadav has been GT’s Rashid Khan’s unsolved puzzle, hammering 117 runs off 77 balls without losing his wicket. But when it comes to Hardik Pandya, Rashid has kept him on the edge, conceding just 32 runs in 44 balls and dismissing him twice.

In the IPL, Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya has had the upper hand over Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill. Pandya has dismissed Gill four times in 23 deliveries while conceding a mere 19 runs.

Three overseas players Ryan Rickelton, Will Jacks and Corbin Bosch have exited the MI squad. Mumbai Indians have roped in Jonny Bairstow, Charith Asalanka and Richard Gleeson as their replacements.

In today’s game, England batter Jos Buttler will be away and GT would need replacement on third position. The opening order has been the support system for the Gujarat side so far. Come in, Kusal Mendis for the slot.

According to AccuWeather, there’s just a 1% chance of rain, so we’re all set for an uninterrupted match. The temperature, however, will remain on the hotter side, ranging between 39°C and 33°C throughout the game.

Yesterday’s match gave us a picture of the pitch conditions. There was noticeable uneven bounce in the first innings, which played a major role in PBKS poor batting. With dew setting in during the second innings and the average first-innings score in Mullanpur hovering around 170, all signs point to a significant toss advantage.

The toss for the match will take place at around 7 pm.

In the seven matches played between GT and MI, Gujarat has emerged victorious five times, while Mumbai has won twice. There have been no tied games between the two sides so far. In their most recent encounter, the Gujarat Titans clinched a thrilling win by 3 wickets.

Gujarat Titans Predicted XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Kusal Mendis, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Gerald Coetzee, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj

Mumbai Indians Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow, Suryakumar Yadav, Charith Asalanka, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

It’s do-or-die match as Gujarat Titans lock horns with Mumbai Indians in a high-octane Eliminator tonight at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur. With everything on the line, there’s no room for slip-ups. One team will stay in the hunt for the trophy, while the other will be packing their bags.

But victory tonight doesn’t guarantee a ticket to the finals. The winning side will still have one more hurdle to clear—a showdown against Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2. It’s a long road to the crown and tonight’s clash is just the first of two must-win battles. Stay tuned as we bring in the latest from the ground.