Daniel Sams defended 9 runs in the final delivery of the Gujarat Titans’ innings as the table topper suffered a 5-run loss to bottom-placed Mumbai Indians at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. This was MI’s only second win while GT lost their third game of the IPL 2022. Mumbai Indians are already out of the playoff race.

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Chasing a 178 runs target, GT made a brilliant start with their opening pair of Wriddhiman Saha (55 off 40 balls) and Shubman Gill (52 off 36 balls) stitching a 106 runs partnership off 73 balls. 

In the 13th over, the partnership was broken and then both the openers were sent back to the hut. Murugan Ashwin gave the MI much needed breakthrough by removing Gill in the first ball of the 13th over and then four balls later he removed Saha. 

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Captain Hardik Pandya (24 off 14 balls) and Sai Sudharshan (19 off 14 balls) were rebuilding a bread and butter chase. But as Sudharsan was hit wicket off the bowling of Keiron Pollard, Hardik fell in the 18th over. 

With David Miller and Rahul Tewatia at the crease, it was still impossible to think of a Mumbai Indians win. But a brilliant 20th over by Sams changed the complexion of the game as the Australian pacer conceded just four runs to enable MI to win their second match of the IPL. Sams conceded only 18 runs in three overs, but the highlight of MI’s bowling attack was Jasprit Bumrah who conceded 48 runs in four overs without a wicket.

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In the last five overs, Mumbai Indians conceded just 44 runs and took three wickets to snatch a consoling win.

Earlier, batting first, MI got off to a fine start with Ishan Kishan (45 off 29 balls) and captain Rohit Sharma (43 off 28 balls) sharing a 74 runs partnership. But as Rashid Khan removed Rohit, MI suffered a mini-collapse. Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan fell in quick succession as Pradeep Sangwan and Alzarri Joseph got the scalps.

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However, Tim David’s 21-ball unbeaten 44 and Tilak Varma’s 21 off 16 balls helped MI post a competitive 177 for 8 in 20 overs. Rashid Khan took two wickets. 

Mumbai Indians were eventually rewarded two points after their bowlers bowled tight spells.