On a hot Jaipur evening that began with promise and ended in heartbreak, the Rajasthan Royals were handed a bruising reality check by a clinical, soaring Mumbai Indians unit. The visitors put on a cricketing masterclass — first with the bat, and then with an icy display of execution with the ball.
Put in to bat, Mumbai’s innings exploded like a firework that refused to fizzle out. The tone was set by Ryan Rickelton, who continued his rich form with a commanding 61 off 38 balls, laced with 7 boundaries and 3 sixes. Alongside him, Rohit Sharma rolled back the years with a typically elegant 53 off 36, striking 9 fours and finding gaps with surgical precision. The duo put on 116 for the opening wicket, and by the time both departed, in quick succession, the platform was already more than secure.
What followed was a blitzkrieg. Suryakumar Yadav (48 off 23)* and Hardik Pandya (48 off 23)* unleashed an all-out assault in the final eight overs, each matching the other stroke for stroke. MI smashed 94 runs in the last seven overs, racing to a daunting 217/2, their highest total this season. Rajasthan’s bowlers were helpless in the face of MI’s clean hitting, with Farooqi (0/54) and Theekshana (1/47) enduring especially torrid spells.
In response, Rajasthan’s chase began like a bad dream and only worsened. The 14-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, fresh off a record-breaking hundred, got a rude welcome back to earth, falling for a two-ball duck as Deepak Chahar outplayed him with a well-disguised cutter. Yashasvi Jaiswal showed early intent with two sixes before falling for 13, and the rest crumbled in rapid succession. The Royals lost five wickets inside the powerplay and never recovered.
Jofra Archer, bizarrely, ended as the top scorer with 30 off 27, showing more fight than most of the top order. But there was no support from the other end. Hetmyer was gone for a golden duck, Riyan Parag (16 off 8) couldn’t resist the big shot, and the tail folded tamely. Rajasthan was bowled out for 117 in just 16.1 overs, surrendering a crushing 100-run defeat.
With the ball, MI showed why they’re not just about power-hitting. Trent Boult (3/28) bowled with venom up front, Karn Sharma (3/23) bamboozled the middle order, and Jasprit Bumrah (2/15) brought out his precision death-overs act in the middle of the innings.
Player of the Match: Ryan Rickelton for his fluent and match-defining 61 at the top.
Talking Points
- MI go top of the table with their sixth consecutive win, showcasing impeccable balance across all departments.
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s fairytale meets reality — a two-ball duck after a dream century in the previous match.
- RR is officially eliminated from playoff contention, paying the price for a misfiring middle order throughout the season.
- Hardik & SKY’s final flourish shows MI’s terrifying depth — both finished unbeaten on 48 off 23 balls each.
- Karn Sharma’s rise continues, with a crafty spell that ripped through the Royals’ lower order.
Can anyone stop this red-hot MI juggernaut heading into the playoffs?
