The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 playoffs are here. Gujarat Titans (GT) will lock horns with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator on Friday, May 30, at the Maharaja Yadavendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
Both sides have played some good cricket so far, as Gujarat finished third in the table with 18 points and Mumbai finished at 16 points to claim the final playoff spot.
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Gujarat had the chance to finish at the top of the table, but they lost their last two matches of the season, which prevented them from securing a top 2 finish. RCB's win over LSG sealed GT's fate at third place.
Mumbai, too, lost their last match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), which meant that they had to settle for fourth place, to play in the Eliminator.
The Sporting News takes a look at the key player battles that could decide the fate of the high-voltage clash.
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Key player battles and matchups to watch in GT vs MI, IPL 2025 Eliminator
Let’s take a look at four player battles that could shape the game.
Arshad Khan vs Rohit Sharma
Although he has scored 329 runs in the season so far, Rohit Sharma is known for his struggles against left-arm pacers. Arshad Khan could prove to be the deciding factor in this match if he can remove the veteran batter early on in the match.
Prasidh Krishna vs Suryakumar Yadav
The two star performers for their respective teams, Prasidh Krishna and Suryakumar Yadav, will go head-to-head in another mouth-watering clash.
Both players are in the race for the Purple Cap and Orange Cap, respectively; they have played instrumental roles in their team's victories and whoever comes out on top in this battle could decide the fate of the match.
Krishna's variations and bounce against Yadav's wide range of shots; it will be interesting to see who has the final laugh in the high stakes matchup.
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Shubman Gill vs Trent Boult
The opener has been in fine form this season, along with his partner Sai Sudharsan, as both of them are chasing each other for the coveted Orange Cap.
The Kiwi veteran will be tasked with taking out the GT skipper in the powerplay, before he can inflict any damage.
Sherfane Rutherford vs Jasprit Bumrah
Rutherford has been the quick run-getter for GT, particularly in the death overs. In this clash, he will have to deal with the dangerous Jasprit Bumrah, who doesn't give away any runs easily.
If Bumrah's variations and yorkers are spot on as usual, things could get tough for the Guyanese batsman.