Mumbai Indians crushed Gujarat Titans by a massive 99 runs in IPL 2026 Match 30 at Ahmedabad on April 20, 2026. Most importantly, Tilak Varma‘s stunning unbeaten 101 off 45 balls (8 fours, 7 sixes) consequently powered MI to 199/5, before their bowlers demolished GT for just 100.
In addition, impact sub Ashwani Kumar picked up 4/24 in 4 overs to finish off GT’s innings in 15.5 overs. As a result, Tilak earned both the Player of the Match and also the Cricinfo MVP award (178.73 points).
Match Summary
| Details | Info |
|---|---|
| MI Score | 199/5 (20 overs) |
| GT Score | 100 all out (15.5 overs) |
| Result | MI won by 99 runs |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Date | April 20, 2026 (Night Match) |
| Best Batter (MI) | Tilak Varma – 101* off 45 balls |
| Best Batter (GT) | Washington Sundar – 26 off 17 balls |
| Best Bowler (MI) | Ashwani Kumar – 4/24 in 4 overs |
| Best Bowler (GT) | Kagiso Rabada – 3/33 in 4 overs |
| Player of the Match | Tilak Varma (MI) |
MI Innings: 199/5 in 20 Overs
Kagiso Rabada struck early and often for GT. First, he consequently trapped Danish Malewar (2 off 4) lbw at 10/1 in the 2nd over. Then, he also dismissed Quinton de Kock (13 off 11) at 25/2 in the 4th over.
Moreover, Rabada bowled Suryakumar Yadav (15 off 10) at 44/3 in just the 6th over. As a result, MI were struggling at 46/3 in the powerplay with all their top three already back in the dugout. However, that’s when Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma came together.
Dhir and Tilak Rebuild the Innings
Naman Dhir anchored the recovery, because he played smart cricket during the middle overs. Furthermore, the fourth-wicket pair added 52 runs in 37 balls, consequently taking MI past the 50-run mark in 6.5 overs (41 balls).
Dhir eventually scored 45 off 32 balls (6 fours, 1 six) at SR 140.62. However, he fell at 96/4 (12.3 overs), caught by Rabada off Prasidh Krishna. Despite that setback, MI were now well placed since Tilak was already set and accelerating.
Tilak Varma’s Sensational Century
This is essentially where Tilak Varma shifted gears completely. He initially reached his fifty off 33 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes) and then subsequently went absolutely berserk in the death overs.
In fact, Tilak smashed 51 runs off his last 12 balls to go from 50 to 101*. He consequently hit 5 fours and 4 sixes during this phase alone, because neither Rabada nor Prasidh Krishna could contain him.
Furthermore, MI crossed 150 in 17.2 overs (104 balls) and then also smashed 49 runs in the last 3 overs. Tilak’s century came off just 45 balls (8 fours, 7 sixes), and as a result MI ultimately finished at a commanding 199/5. Indeed, his strike rate of 224.44 was simply breathtaking.
MI Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilak Varma | 101* | 45 | 8 / 7 | 224.44 |
| Naman Dhir | 45 | 32 | 6 / 1 | 140.62 |
| Hardik Pandya (c) | 15 | 16 | 1 / 0 | 93.75 |
GT Bowling: Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 4 | 25 | 1 | 6.25 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 31 | 0 | 7.75 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 33 | 3 | 8.25 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-10 (Malewar, 1.5), 2-25 (de Kock, 3.3), 3-44 (Suryakumar, 5.5), 4-96 (Dhir, 12.3), 5-177 (Pandya, 18.5)
GT Chase: 100 All Out in 15.5 Overs
GT‘s chase was essentially a disaster from ball one. Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Sai Sudharsan (0 off 1) on the very first delivery, caught by Krish Bhagat. Consequently, GT were 0/1 before they could even blink.
Then, Jos Buttler (5 off 6) was trapped lbw by Hardik Pandya at 5/2 in just the 2nd over. Although Shubman Gill (14 off 13) subsequently tried to fight back with 3 fours, he also fell at 40/3 (4.4 overs), caught by Naman Dhir off impact sub Ashwani Kumar.
As a result, GT were 45/3 in the powerplay, already needing 155 off 84 balls. Naturally, the required rate was consequently climbing towards 11 per over.
Spinners Complete the Demolition
Washington Sundar (26 off 17) initially provided some resistance with 5 fours. However, Mitchell Santner dismissed both Sundar and Glenn Phillips (6 off 8) in quick succession, consequently reducing GT to 55/5 in just 7.4 overs.
GT then brought in impact sub Rahul Tewatia for Prasidh Krishna at 7.2 overs. Despite that change, the collapse continued because Ashwani Kumar was simply unplayable. In fact, he took 4/24 in 4 overs (economy 6.00), also dismissing Gill, Tewatia (8), Shahrukh Khan (17), and Rashid Khan (4).
Eventually, AM Ghazanfar cleaned up the tail with 2/17 in 2.5 overs, stumping Rabada (12) and then bowling Siraj (0). Consequently, GT were bowled out for just 100 in 15.5 overs, losing their last 5 wickets for merely 21 runs.
GT Top Performers with the Bat
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s/6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Sundar | 26 | 17 | 5 / 0 | 152.94 |
| M Shahrukh Khan | 17 | 13 | 1 / 1 | 130.76 |
| Shubman Gill (c) | 14 | 13 | 3 / 0 | 107.69 |
MI Bowling: Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 3 | 15 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 3 | 16 | 2 | 5.33 |
| Ashwani Kumar | 4 | 24 | 4 | 6.00 |
Fall of Wickets: 1-0 (Sudharsan, 0.1), 2-5 (Buttler, 1.2), 3-40 (Gill, 4.4), 4-54 (Sundar, 7.2), 5-55 (Phillips, 7.4), 6-79 (Tewatia, 10.6), 7-85 (Rashid, 12.2), 8-86 (Shahrukh, 12.6), 9-99 (Rabada, 15.2), 10-100 (Siraj, 15.5)
Key Highlights
- Tilak Varma’s 101* off 45 was the knock of the tournament so far: Although he walked in at 44/3, he first rebuilt with Dhir and then unleashed carnage in the death overs. His century consequently came off just 45 balls (8 fours, 7 sixes), and he therefore earned both POTM and Cricinfo MVP (178.73 points). Undoubtedly, it was the best individual innings of IPL 2026.
- Ashwani Kumar’s 4/24 dismantled GT: The impact sub was brought on after the powerplay and subsequently wrecked GT’s middle order. He consequently dismissed Gill, Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, and Rashid Khan, therefore finishing with the best bowling figures of the match at economy 6.00.
- Rabada’s 3/33 was excellent but wasted: He initially removed de Kock, Malewar, and SKY in the powerplay to leave MI at 44/3. However, Tilak’s century ultimately made his efforts meaningless since GT’s batting simply couldn’t hold up their end.
- GT’s batting collapse was comprehensive: Specifically, no batter crossed 26. Sundar’s 26 off 17 was their highest score, and only Shahrukh Khan (17) also reached double figures. Consequently, GT were bowled out with 25 balls still remaining.
- MI’s spin trio choked GT completely: Santner (2/16), Ashwani Kumar (4/24), and Ghazanfar (2/17) collectively took 8 wickets for just 57 runs in 9.5 overs. Consequently, GT had absolutely no answer against the turning ball.
- Impact subs: MI brought in Ashwani Kumar for Sherfane Rutherford at 19.6 overs of their innings. Similarly, GT replaced Prasidh Krishna with Rahul Tewatia at 7.2 overs of their chase. Although Tewatia scored only 8 off 11, Ashwani’s 4/24 was the match-defining impact sub performance.
Verdict: MI Demolish GT by 99 Runs Behind Tilak Varma’s Century
Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 101 transformed MI from 44/3 into 199/5, and consequently, the target was always well beyond GT’s reach. In particular, his 51 runs off the last 12 balls was the decisive phase that broke the game wide open.
For GT, however, losing all 10 wickets for just 100 runs was humiliating. Although Rabada bowled brilliantly with 3/33, the batting unit ultimately collapsed against MI’s spin attack. Indeed, 99 runs is the kind of margin that doesn’t need much analysis.
