The pitch at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) was a batting paradise. 436 runs were scored across the 40 overs of the IPL 2025 Eliminator clash between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. Bowlers struggled to contain batters but there was an exception. Jasprit Bumrah. The MI pace spearhead delivered a performance to match the occasion as his four overs on the night resulted in just 27 runs and the important wicket of Washington Sundar who was threatened to take the game away from the five-time IPL champions. During Bumrah’s spell, GT managed to score just two fours and a six off him. And with a thundering yorker, he cleaned up Sundar who had blasted 48 of 23 before being shown the exit door. And MI captain Hardik Pandya acknowledged the ‘luxury’ he has at his disposal in Bumrah whom he compared to the ever-rising prices of MI real estate. “It’s very simple. Whenever you think the game is going away, just bring him (Bumrah). When you have that it’s a luxury. It’s like Mumbai housing prices – he’s that expensive,” Pandya explained his thought process on when to make the best use of the right-arm pacer. I was just watching the scoreboard, and I thought if we can keep extra runs at the end, I had the bowlers to bowl it. It was important that Jassi comes and bowls that over so that the margin becomes longer,” he added. Six bowlers bowled four overs each during the contest with Rashid’s economy rate of 7.8 being the next best to Bumrah’s 6.8 among those who were allowed to complete their quota. It was Rohit Sharma though who won player-of-the-match award for his thundering show with the bat as he slammed 50-ball 81 to help MI to a match-winning total. It was the veteran opener’s fourth fifty of the season as his team posted 228/5. Chasing the total, GT made 208/6 and MI, after their 20-run triumph, will now face Punjab Kings in the second qualifier on Sunday. The winner will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final slated for June 3.