Rajasthan Royals’ campaign in the IPL 2025 officially came to a halt on Friday after suffering a resounding 100-run defeat at the hands of Mumbai Indians in Jaipur. With this loss, RR became the second team to be eliminated from the tournament, following Chennai Super Kings. Though the match delivered high entertainment value, disappointment loomed large among home fans, especially as 14 years old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a fan favourite, was dismissed for a two-ball duck.
The game wasn’t short of quirky moments either. A particularly humorous incident unfolded during the second innings when Dhruv Jurel hit an inside-out six over extra cover off Karn Sharma. The ball ended up near the boundary line close to the photographers and what followed was a comical delay. Several MI players, including Suryakumar Yadav, searched thoroughly but failed to locate the ball. Ironically, just as a replacement was about to be used, the original ball mysteriously reappeared — leaving the crowd and players in splits.
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Batting first, Mumbai Indians piled on the runs with impressive half-centuries from Ryan Rickelton who made 61 and Rohit Sharma who contributed 53. Their combined effort helped MI post a formidable 217 for 2 in their allotted 20 overs. In response, RR faltered dramatically and were bowled out for just 117 runs in 16.1 overs. Both Karn Sharma and Trent Boult stood out with the ball, each claiming three wickets and playing key roles in dismantling the Royals’ batting line-up.
After the match, MI captain Hardik Pandya praised his side’s execution, acknowledging the strong batting and clinical bowling that defined their dominant performance. Reflecting on the batting strategy, he emphasised the importance of playing percentage shots and valuing placement and timing over sheer power. He highlighted that players like Rohit and Ryan succeeded by maintaining intent and exploiting the gaps rather than going for extravagant hits.
He went on to say that the team is returning to what he called “batsmanship”, focusing on smart, effective stroke play and disciplined cricket. He expressed confidence in his bowling unit, stressing that with the depth and experience they have, there’s little to worry about. Hardik Pandya concluded by reaffirming the team’s commitment to staying grounded, disciplined and focused on playing simple, effective cricket moving forward.
