The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 franchise, Gujarat Titans, clinched their first victory of the season as they defeated the Mumbai Indians in a one-sided battle at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday. After losing their opening fixture against the Punjab Kings, the Titans roared back in style for a thumping victory. The star of the match was opener Sai Sudharsan, who scored a terrific fifty and laid the foundation for the win against the Mumbai Indians.
Sudharsan played a crucial role in the Titans' performance, scoring 63 runs off 41 balls. His innings was instrumental in setting a commanding target of 196/8 for the Mumbai Indians. Despite the tricky surface, Sudharsan's efforts alongside captain Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler helped the Titans post a competitive score. The Mumbai Indians struggled in their chase, losing early wickets, and Suryakumar Yadav's efforts to keep them in the hunt fell short after his dismissal.
Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj were the pick of the bowlers for Gujarat, each taking two wickets to help secure the victory. However, the match was not without its concerns for the Titans, as Sudharsan sustained a hamstring injury while fielding. He attempted to stop a ball but ended up pulling his hamstring and was replaced by Glenn Phillips. Following the match, captain Shubman Gill provided an update on Sudharsan's condition, stating, "He is fine and is expected to play in the next IPL 2025 match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru." This news comes as a relief for Titans fans, as Sudharsan is seen as a key player for their success this season.
On the other hand, the Mumbai Indians faced further challenges after their defeat. Captain Hardik Pandya was fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over rate during the match against Gujarat Titans. This fine marks the first slow over-rate penalty of the IPL 2025 season, as confirmed by officials after the Mumbai Indians' 36-run loss. The penalty was imposed under Article 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct regarding minimum over-rate offences.
Pandya's situation is compounded by the fact that he had previously missed the Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 opener against Chennai Super Kings due to a slow over-rate ban stemming from the team's last IPL 2024 match against Lucknow Super Giants. The Mumbai Indians also lost that opener by four wickets. Currently, they sit at the ninth position in the standings with zero points.
As part of the new playing conditions implemented for the 2025 season, the IPL governing council has introduced a demerit points system and suspension points that will remain valid for 36 months. Pandya addressed the carry-over of slow over-rate bans to the next season, sharing his perspective at a Mumbai Indians press conference. He stated, "That is out of my control. Last year what occurred is a part of the sport. What happened is that we bowled the last over 2-2.5 minutes late. At that time, I was not aware of the consequences. It was unfortunate but rules say it so I have to go with the process. Whether the penalty should continue in the next season or not, it is on the higher authorities."
As the Mumbai Indians prepare for their next match against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, March 31, 2025, the team will be looking to bounce back and secure their first points of the season. With the stakes high and the competition fierce, every match counts in the IPL, and both teams will be eager to make their mark in the tournament.
