Tilak Varma’s unbeaten century blasted Mumbai Indians off the bottom with a huge victory over Gujarat Titans
Mumbai Indians’ losing streak in the Indian Premier League has been ended in stunning fashion after they bowled out Gujarat Titans for 100.
Mumbai’s 99-run win wasn’t forecast. The Indians had lost four in a row, Rohit Sharma was still unfit, they picked two debutants and were 3-44 in the Powerplay.
But Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 45-ball 101 — his maiden IPL century — gave his bowlers something to defend, and they defended 5-199 in rousing style.
Impact substitute and left-arm fast bowler Ashwani Kumar took 4-24, Mitchell Santner 2-16 and spinner Allah Ghazanfar 2-17.
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya took a wicket each in the Powerplay as Gujarat’s stacked top order of Sai Sudharsan, captain Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar and Glenn Phillips were blown away inside eight overs and reduced to 5-55 on their home ground.
In a rare IPL match with no Australians on either side the Titans were all out inside 16 overs and their three-match winning streak was crushed.
“Ahmedabad has been a tough place for Mumbai Indians,” captain Pandya said. “We played some good cricket. It feels very special because (the win) was much needed.”
Left-hander Varma came into Mumbai’s sixth game with a season-best score of 20.
He was 19 off 22 balls and then scored 82 off his final 23 deliveries.
Varma was especially aggressive in the last six overs and smacked Ashok Sharma for 26 runs with three sixes and two fours in the 18th and reached his hundred with a six and a four off Prasidh Krishna’s last two balls in the final over that went for 22.
“The last five games I haven’t had much time in the middle. So this game I wanted to spend time in the middle,” Varma said.
“So you saw the first 20 balls I was just batting ball by ball. Then later on I knew the ability I have.”
He’s the first IPL batter to outscore the opposition since 2020 when KL Rahul’s 132 trumped Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 109.
Naman Dhir supported Varma with 45.
Gujarat never got any momentum after Bumrah finally got his first wicket of the season in the sixth match with Sudharsan caught at point off the first ball of the innings.
The IPL’s biggest win of the season by runs lifted Mumbai off the bottom of the table.
IPL 2026 standings
Australians in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings: Matt Short ($255k), Spencer Johnson ($255k, replaces Nathan Ellis ($340k))
Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc ($2m)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.13m), Tim David ($510k)
Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis ($1.9m), Ben Dwarshuis ($745k), Mitchell Owen ($510k), Cooper Connolly ($510k), Xavier Bartlett ($136k)
Kolkata Knight Riders: Cameron Green ($3.5m)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.5m), Travis Head ($2.38m), Jack Edwards ($510k, withdrawn)
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis ($1.49m), Mitchell Marsh ($578k)
