When they get into the field for the all-important Qualifier 2 clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Mumbai Indians will once again be depending on their bowlers, especially Jasprit Bumrah, to carry them forward into the final.
It was Bumrah along with Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, and Richard Gleeson that helped the Mumbai Indians restrict Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator match and secure a 20-run victory. But with Gleeson nursing an injury along with fellow pacer Deepak Chahar, Mumbai Indians are likely to bring in Reece Topley as a replacement. However, will their bowling have the same potency as in the previous matches?
MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene said they will be depending on their core ground to carry them forward.
When you have a winning culture, it's easier to try and have that same thing going through. We have a very experienced core group within our ranks. That winning mentality itself comes through from those senior players. Players who have won trophies do help. My job is to try and cultivate the new guys who are coming into the squad.
Mumbai rode on their bowling into the playoffs stage in IPL 2025. In the Qualifier 1 match too, Gujarat Titans were cruising towards the target of 228 with Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar in the middle when Bumrah broke the partnership and turned things around for Mumbai.
Another factor for that victory was the batting by their former captain Rohit Sharma, who struck 81 runs off 50 balls. Jonny Bairstow (47) did well on his MI debut and helped them to a good start. Mumbai will also be hoping for a big score from Suryakumar Yadav, their top scorer with 673 runs.
In Qualifier 2, Mumbai Indians will have to be on their guard because Punjab Kings are hurting after losing to RCB in the first playoff match.
Punjab are hurting and will come out firing. Mumbai, riding high on momentum, will bring intensity as well. It’s set to be a blockbuster, one for the ages.
Punjab Kings have also prospered via their batting - especially their top-order batting of Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Shreyas Iyer. However, their middle order has not faced major challengers and therefore can succumb to pressure.
However, their batting unit came unstuck in the clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and skipper Shreyas Iyer will be hoping for a better performance from them on Sunday.
Punjab will be hoping to reach the final for the first time after over a decade while five-time winners Mumbai Indians have never won it after finishing third or fourth in the league stage.
We have got to get up to play another game on Sunday and we are going to do it the hard way now, but I hope we meet Royal Challengers Bengaluru again on Tuesday night... We have a two-day turnaround now to play another final. We have worked for two and a bit months to earn the right to have a second chance, and we are going to cash that second chance in, hopefully.
Overall, both teams are evenly matched in head-to-head so far. In 33 matches, Mumbai Indians have won 17 while PBKS have won 16.
Probable Playing XIs: Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Yuzvendra Chahal, 12 Vyshak Vijaykumar
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar
