Mumbai Indians (MI) and Gujarat Titans (GT) are two of the most in-form teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. 15 group stage matches left, and both sides are looking like firm favourites to reach the playoffs. The Wankhede Stadium could see a ‘clash of the titans’.
Gujarat Titans’ top heaviness
But there is a strong possibility that Gujarat will lose the match, whether they bat first or second, in the powerplay. After 10 matches, the Titans have lost just 6 wickets in the powerplay. And only once have they lost 2 wickets in the first six overs of a match.
The reason for their success, not just in the powerplay but overall, are their top three of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler. Combined, the trio have scored 1439 runs (504+470+465). They have three of the six top scores in IPL 2025. It’s some feat.
But it can be their Achilles’ heel as well. That’s because all of their remaining batters have scored just 457 runs. It’s them and done. Sherfane Rutherford isn’t part of their XI as of now, and he’s the only other batter to amass over 100 runs.
Mumbai Indians’ powerplay destroyers
So the strategy for MI is simple. Get GT’s top three. Easier said than done, some may say. But for Mumbai, it’s very much possible. That’s because they have two of the greatest powerplay bowlers of all time. Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar are two of the three highest wicket-takers in the first six overs.
In IPL 2025, they have 13 wickets as well. And we have seen them dismantle Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede before as well. But that’s not it for MI. They also have the world’s best bowler in Jasprit Bumrah. He hasn’t been bowling as often in the powerplay with Chahar and Boult present, but even he’s got a good record as well.
Barring perhaps Royal Challengers Bengaluru, no other team has the same new ball quality that MI have. And so, to ensure they can one-up GT by top-loading their next pacer’s overs to ensure Sudharsan, Gill or Buttler don’t survive the powerplay.
Boult, Chahar & Bumrah powerplay stats in IPL 2025
| Overs | Wickets | Economy | Average | Strike Rate | Dot% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Boult | 19 | 6 | 8.84 | 28 | 19 | 52.6 |
| Deepak Chahar | 27 | 7 | 8.93 | 34.4 | 23.1 | 52.5 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 9 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 18 | 38.9 |
