NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians continued their dominant run in IPL 2025 with a thumping 100-run victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, effectively knocking RR out of playoff contention.
The win — MI’s sixth in a row — was powered by Ryan Rickelton explosive 61 and a clinical spell from veteran leg-spinner Karn Sharma, who dismantled Rajasthan’s fragile middle order.
Sent in to bat, MI openers Rohit Sharma and Rickelton gave the team a flying start, combining for a 116-run stand. Rickelton was particularly aggressive, taking on the RR pacers with confidence and flair. His 38-ball 61 was a masterclass in aggressive stroke play, including a standout flick for six off Fazalhaq Farooqi and a towering half-century milestone off a short ball from Kartikeya.
MI cruised to 58/0 in the powerplay and looked in complete control through the innings, with their top order setting the tone.
However, it was the bowling unit that truly sealed the game. Enter Karn Sharma — introduced as an impact substitute — who wreaked havoc with his clever variations and pinpoint accuracy. He struck thrice, removing Dhruv Jurel, Maheesh Theekshana, and Kumar Kartikeya to finish with figures of 3/23 and an economy rate of just 5.80.
Karn’s spell strangled the Royals in the middle overs, leaving them with little room to recover after the early dismissals of Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Complemented by Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, and Deepak Chahar’s fiery opening spells, Mumbai’s bowling unit delivered a complete performance.
Rajasthan folded for just 117 in 16.1 overs, crumbling under scoreboard pressure and MI’s relentless attack.
With this emphatic win, Mumbai Indians not only eliminated RR from playoff contention but also reinforced their credentials as serious title contenders, peaking at just the right time.
