In the 9th match of IPL 2025, the Gujarat Titans (GT) secured a convincing victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI) by 36 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
This defeat marked MI’s second consecutive loss in the tournament, raising concerns about their performance and strategy.
Here are three key reasons why Mumbai Indians fell short against Gujarat Titans.
1. Top Order Collapse
One of the significant factors contributing to MI’s defeat was the early collapse of their top order.
Mumbai’s batting lineup struggled to find stability, with captain Rohit Sharma dismissed for just 8 runs and opener Ryan Rickelton falling for 6 runs.
This left MI reeling at 24 for 2 within the first few overs, putting immense pressure on the middle order to recover.
The inability of the top order to provide a solid foundation severely hampered MI’s chase of a challenging target of 197 runs.
2. Ineffective Middle Order
While MI’s middle order showed some resilience, it lacked the firepower needed to chase down the target effectively.
Suryakumar Yadav was the standout performer with a score of 48 runs off 28 balls, but he did not receive adequate support from his teammates.
Tilak Varma’s contribution of 39 runs off 36 balls was insufficient to keep up with the required run rate.
Furthermore, Hardik Pandya’s return to the lineup did not have the desired impact; he managed only 11 runs off 17 balls, and his decision to send inexperienced players ahead of himself in the batting order proved detrimental.
This lack of aggressive batting in critical moments ultimately led to MI’s downfall.
3. Bowling Struggles and Death Overs
Although MI’s bowling attack showed promise at times, they struggled to contain GT during crucial phases of the game.
The Titans posted a total of 196 runs, with opener Sai Sudharsan leading the charge with an impressive 63 runs off 41 balls.
MI’s bowlers, particularly in the death overs, failed to execute their plans effectively, allowing GT to score freely towards the end of their innings.
Despite managing to restrict GT from reaching a higher total after being well-positioned at 170 for 3, they lost momentum and conceded crucial runs, resulting in a challenging target for their batsmen.
