IPL 2025: B. Sai Sudharsan's 63 Helps GT Reach 196/8 Despite MI's Late Wickets

Ahmedabad, March 29 (NationPress) Opener B. Sai Sudharsan maintained his impressive form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by scoring 63 runs, leading the Gujarat Titans to a formidable total of 196/8 in their 20 overs against the Mumbai Indians during Match 9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Saturday.

On a tricky pitch, Sudharsan played a pivotal role in keeping MI at bay with his 41-ball innings, which included four boundaries and two sixes. He received solid support from Jos Buttler and captain Shubman Gill, who scored 39 and 38 runs respectively.

For MI, who claimed six wickets in the last five overs, captain Hardik Pandya, making his tournament debut, was the standout bowler with figures of 2-29. However, the Mumbai Indians had moments of poor ground fielding and catching.

Choosing to bat first, Gill started aggressively, smashing Trent Boult over backward point for a boundary, followed by a pull shot off Deepak Chahar for another four. Sudharsan then elegantly drove Boult for a four before flicking him for another boundary.

The introduction of Mujeeb Ur Rahman didn't ease the pressure for MI, as Sudharsan struck him for a four and a six, while Gill added another boundary in a 15-run fifth over. Gill concluded the power-play by dancing down the pitch to hit Chahar for a six, followed by a four, propelling the hosts to 66 runs in the first six overs.

However, MI managed to rein in the duo by going two overs without a boundary, leading to Gill getting caught at deep square leg off a short ball from Pandya. Buttler then began to find his rhythm, lofting and lapping Mitchell Santner for a six and a four, followed by another boundary off Pandya. As Buttler and Sudharsan kept finding the boundary, their second-wicket partnership flourished.

Mujeeb broke the 51-run partnership by having Buttler caught behind off a wide delivery for 39, followed by Shahrukh Khan being caught in the deep off Pandya. After Sudharsan reached his fifty in just 33 balls, he and Sherfane Rutherford both cleared the boundary off Satyanarayana Raju.

Rutherford hit a six over deep mid-wicket off Boult, but Boult had the last laugh by trapping Sudharsan lbw for 63 with a fierce yorker. Suddenly, MI claimed two more wickets as Rahul Tewatia was run out for a diamond duck, and Rutherford was caught at deep extra cover off Chahar.

Despite MI having four fielders outside the 30-yard circle due to a slow-over rate penalty, Raju dismissed Rashid Khan in the final over, and R. Sai Kishore was run out on the last ball, leaving the hosts just four runs shy of 200.

Brief scores:

Gujarat Titans 196/8 in 20 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 63, Jos Buttler 39; Hardik Pandya 2-29) against Mumbai Indians