Last-ball heroics help Titans defeat Mumbai in tense three-wicket win

Gujarat Titans pulled off a nail-biting win off the final ball in a high-octane clash against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, capping off a rollercoaster contest brimming with drama. Despite multiple rain interruptions and a few anxious moments, GT held their composure to emerge victorious, silencing the home crowd in a thrilling IPL 2025 encounter.

The match had its fair share of twists and turns, beginning with Gujarat Titans’ early struggles in the field. Three dropped catches in the powerplay handed lifelines to the Mumbai batters, notably Will Jacks, who made full use of his reprieves. Jacks, dropped on 0 and 29, went on to hammer a fluent 53 off 35 balls, studded with five fours and three sixes. Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with a brisk 34, but the rest of the Mumbai lineup failed to capitalise, as Gujarat’s spinners staged a remarkable turnaround.

Spin stalwart Rashid Khan (1/21) found his rhythm and paired well with Sai Kishore (2/34) to stifle the scoring and dismantle the middle order. Their relentless pressure saw Mumbai slide from a strong position to a below-par total of 155/8. Captain Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma fell cheaply, with Pandya offering a soft return catch off Kishore, while Tilak mistimed one to Shubman Gill off Gerald Coetzee.

The innings began with Mohammed Siraj (1/29) striking early, removing Ryan Rickelton for just two runs. However, Gujarat’s fielding woes quickly surfaced as B Sai Sudharsan, after taking a stunning catch to dismiss Rickelton, spilled an easy chance offered by Jacks. Arshad Khan (1/18) bowled tightly and accounted for Rohit Sharma, who never looked settled and miscued to mid-off.

Suryakumar dazzled briefly, dispatching two elegant straight drives off Prasidh Krishna (1/37), but a dropped catch by Sai Kishore allowed him to extend his stay. Siraj too missed a sitter off Jacks at mid-wicket. Had those chances been taken, Mumbai could’ve been reeling at 25/4 inside the powerplay. Instead, they rallied to 56/2 by the end of six overs.

Rashid Khan’s guile finally turned the tide as he dismissed Jacks, who had been visibly uncomfortable against his variations. Rashid was also unfortunate with two unsuccessful DRS calls. Despite a final push from Corbin Bosch, whose 27 off 22 included two towering sixes, Mumbai’s total remained within Gujarat’s reach—and just enough for them to clinch a dramatic win.

This article first appeared on Mid Day