Ahmedabad, April 20 (NationPress) In a stunning display of skill, fast bowler Ashwani Kumar claimed four wickets, while Tilak Varma delivered an impressive unbeaten century, leading the Mumbai Indians to a commanding 99-run victory over the Gujarat Titans in Match 30 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday. This significant win not only boosted the Mumbai Indians’ Net Run Rate but also propelled them to seventh place in the points table.

Ashwani Kumar finished with exceptional figures of 4-24, as the Gujarat Titans were dismissed for a mere 100 runs in 15.5 overs while chasing a target of 200 runs. Earlier, India's T20 World Cup champion, Tilak Varma, showcased his prowess by scoring his maiden century in just 45 balls, helping the Mumbai Indians reach a total of 199/5 in their 20 overs after a rocky start due to Kagiso Rabada's three wickets during the Power-play.

In pursuit of a challenging target of 200, the Gujarat Titans faced a disastrous start, losing a wicket on the first ball as Jasprit Bumrah struck early, dismissing Sai Sudarshan for his first wicket of IPL 2026.

The pressure mounted in the next over when captain Hardik Pandya fell victim to a lbw decision against Jos Buttler. Despite a review, the original decision stood, leaving Buttler with only 5 runs from 6 balls and GT in dire straits.

Following these setbacks, Sundar and captain Shubman Gill attempted to stabilize the innings with a counter-offensive, hitting five boundaries to reach 35/2 in four overs and briefly shifting the momentum back to GT.

However, young pacer Ashwani Kumar broke the partnership, sending Gill back for 14 runs off 13 balls. The Gujarat Titans concluded the Power-play at 45/3, still under pressure.

The Mumbai Indians bowlers continued to assert dominance post-Power-play. Allah Ghazanfar applied pressure with tight overs, while Mitchell Santner delivered a critical blow in the eighth over, dismissing Sundar for a quick 26 off 17 balls and then removing Glenn Phillips with a clever slower ball, leaving GT reeling at 56/5.

With the match slipping away, Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan attempted to steady the innings with a partnership focused on singles and doubles, but the escalating required run rate added to their burden.

The partnership was broken in the 11th over when Tewatia edged a delivery from Ashwani, caught behind by Quinton de Kock, managing only 8 runs off 11 balls. Ashwani continued his impressive performance by dismissing Rashid Khan for four runs in his next over, completing his four-wicket haul by sending Shahrukh Khan back while attempting a big shot.

Ghazanfar concluded the Titans' innings with two quick wickets of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj in the 16th over, ensuring a comprehensive bowling performance.

Ashwani Kumar was the standout bowler for the Mumbai Indians with remarkable figures of 4-24. Santner and Ghazanfar each contributed with two wickets, while Bumrah and Pandya took one each, dominating the chase from start to finish.

The Mumbai Indians had a slow start after being put to bat, as openers Danish Malewar and Quinton de Kock struggled. Malewar was dismissed early for two by Kagiso Rabada, who soon also took out de Kock for 13 runs.

Naman Dhir attempted to launch a counterattack with several boundaries, but Rabada maintained his strong form, claiming his third wicket by removing Suryakumar Yadav for 15 runs, leaving MI at 46/3 during the Power-play.

After early challenges, Tilak Varma and Dhir rebuilt the innings with a solid partnership, rotating the strike effectively and punishing loose deliveries, bringing MI to 75/3 at the halfway mark. Their 52-run partnership ended when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Dhir for a commendable 45 off 32 balls.

Tilak then found his stride in the final overs. After a cautious start, he began attacking the bowlers, reaching his fifty in just 33 balls and accelerating further.

In the closing overs, Tilak dominated the bowling, securing his maiden IPL century in merely 45 balls. He remained not out at 101, with eight fours and seven sixes, guiding the Mumbai Indians to a formidable total of 199/5.

For the Gujarat Titans, Rabada was the standout bowler with figures of 3-33, while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna each took one wicket.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 199/5 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 101*, Naman Dhir 45; Kagiso Rabada 3-33, Mohammed Siraj 1-25) beat Gujarat Titans 100 all out in 15.5 overs (Washington Sundar 26, Shahrukh Khan 17; Ashwani Kumar 4-24, Mitchell Santner 2-16) by 99 runs.