Mumbai Indians (MI) kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant 100-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), effectively ending the home team’s chances in the Indian Premier League on Thursday.
Rajasthan Royals crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for just 117 in 16.1 overs. Jasprit Bumrah (2/15) and Trent Boult (3/28) tore through the top order, while leg-spinner Karn Sharma (3/23) wrapped up the innings to seal a comprehensive win for the visitors.
Youngster Vaibhav Suryavanshi fell early for a duck, dismissed by Deepak Chahar in just two balls.
Suryakumar Yadav remained unbeaten on 48 off 23 balls, while captain Hardik Pandya also stayed not out on 48 off 23. Mumbai Indians ended their innings with a formidable 217 on the board, setting up a challenging target for the home team as the match intensifies.
Ryan Rickelton was dismissed by Maheesh Theekshana after scoring 61 runs off 38 balls. Rohit Sharma was then dismissed by Riyan Parag, caught by Jaiswal after scoring 53 runs off 36 balls, giving Rajasthan Royals a much-needed breakthrough as they look to slow down Mumbai’s scoring momentum.
Mumbai Indians have scored 64 runs in the powerplay, with openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton leading the charge. As the score steadily rises, Rajasthan Royals are looking to apply pressure on the batsmen.
Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and elected to bowl first in their crucial match. The decision comes at a pivotal time in the tournament, as the team looks to keep its playoff hopes alive.
In a setback for the Royals, fast bowler Sandeep Sharma has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a fractured finger. The team has not yet announced a replacement. A loss in today’s game would result in Rajasthan becoming the second team to be eliminated from the playoff race, following Chennai Super Kings.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians are riding high on momentum, having secured five consecutive wins. Their latest victory came against Lucknow Super Giants, where they clinched a 4-wicket win, strengthening their position in the race to the playoffs.
Playing XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag(c), Dhruv Jurel(w), Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton(w), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Impact subs
Mumbai Indians: Raj Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Robin Minz, Reece Topley, Karn Sharma
Rajasthan Royals: Shubham Dubey, Tushar Deshpande, Kunal Singh Rathore, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Kwena Maphaka