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GT vs MI IPL 2025 Eliminator: Heart-Pounding Playing XI Drop and Toss Showdown Ignites Mullanpur!

Credit _ Business Standard 

The first finalist of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season has been decided, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) dominating Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. Attention now shifts to the upcoming Eliminator clash between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, where the victor will advance to Qualifier 2 to face Punjab Kings for a spot in the final.

Road to the playoffs

Guided by the dynamic leadership of Shubman Gill, the Gujarat Titans showcased a commanding performance throughout the majority of the league stage, firmly establishing themselves as frontrunners in the tournament. For a significant portion of the competition, they reigned supreme at the summit of the points table, making them overwhelming favorites to secure a top-two position. However, their campaign hit a roadblock in the final stretch, as they suffered consecutive defeats against the formidable Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last two league matches. These setbacks proved costly, ultimately causing the Titans to slip from their perch and settle for third place in the final standings.

Gujarat concluded the league stage with a solid 18 points from their 14 matches.Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians staged a remarkable turnaround after dropping four of their first five games. Under Hardik Pandya's leadership, the team rallied to win six consecutive matches, securing a strong position. The five-time champions then confirmed their playoff spot with a victory over Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium.

However, Mumbai Indians' loss to Punjab Kings in Jaipur confirmed their fourth-place finish, which qualified them for the Eliminator.

Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians, head-to-head

In their only encounter during the IPL 2025 season, which took place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Gujarat Titans, captained by Shubman Gill, secured a dramatic three-wicket triumph against the Mumbai Indians in a nail-biting finish, with Rahul Tewatia’s exceptional performance proving pivotal, ultimately sealing the victory through the application of the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Who are the favourites for a place in Qualifier 2?

Looking at the head-to-head record, Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill are the favourites to seal a place in Qualifier 2. Mumbai Indians have also not defeated any of the top three teams in the IPL 2025 season as all of their wins have come against the lower-ranked sides.

For the Eliminator, Gujarat Titans will be without their star batter Jos Buttler, as he has returned to England for national duty. Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis is likely to take his place in the XI.

For Mumbai Indians, Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton have headed home. Jonny Bairstow is now expected to open the batting alongside Rohit Sharma in the Eliminator.