Tilak Varma turns it around with a hundred
Tilak Varma made 101 off 45 balls, 8 fours and 7 sixes, but the innings was split in two very clear phases. He started with 19 off his first 22 balls, largely controlled by the field and changes of pace.
Then the game flipped. The next 23 balls produced 82 runs. He went from steady to decisive, taking on both spin and pace without hesitation. The over against Ashok Sharma went for 26 runs, with three sixes and two fours, and he also finished strongly against Prasidh Krishna at the death.
Hardik Pandya was animated during the innings, regularly engaging with Tilak between overs and urging him to take on the boundary options. That intent showed in the final phase, where MI moved from recovery to a finishing total.
A maiden IPL hundred for Tilak Varma. He got there with a boundary, reaching the milestone in just 45 balls. It was a strong finish from MI as well. In the last six overs, they added 96 runs to push the total to exactly 199 for 5, setting Gujarat Titans a target of 200.
Fastest 100s for MI in IPL
Tilak Varma has now joined the elite list with a 45-ball hundred, alongside Jayasuriya who also reached the mark in 45 balls for Mumbai Indians.
This is also Tilak’s highest IPL score for MI, coming in a high-pressure situation when the innings needed a lift. It was not just the milestone, but the timing that stood out. He turned a slow start into a dominant finish and delivered when Mumbai were under pressure.
MI innings held together by one effort
Mumbai Indians finished on 199 for 5, but the innings was uneven. Quinton de Kock made 13, Danish Malewar 2, and Suryakumar Yadav 15. Naman Dhir added 45, giving them the only real support around the middle.
Pandya made 15, while Sherfane Rutherford stayed 1 not out. It was a line-up that kept losing momentum until Tilak took control.
Chase set at 199, pressure on attack unit
The target is 200, and the chase will test Gujarat’s top order under scoreboard pressure. Mumbai’s bowling will be central early, with Jasprit Bumrah expected to set the tone.
Debutant Krish Bhagat also comes into focus as a fresh pace option, while the rest of the attack will need control in the middle overs.