Tilak Varma's Stunning Century Powers Mumbai Indians to Victory Over Gujarat Titans

In a gripping IPL match, Tilak Varma's maiden century helped the Mumbai Indians secure a commanding total of 199/5 against the Gujarat Titans. Despite a shaky start due to Kagiso Rabada's early strikes, Varma's explosive batting turned the game around. His unbeaten 101 runs, featuring eight fours and seven sixes, showcased his talent and resilience. The match unfolded at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where MI's late-innings surge ultimately led to their victory. Discover how Varma's performance shifted the momentum and the impact of Gujarat's bowling attack in this thrilling encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 20, 2026, 22:29 IST

Mumbai Indians Set a Strong Total

In a thrilling encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday, Tilak Varma's remarkable first IPL century propelled the Mumbai Indians (MI) to a formidable score of 199/5 against the Gujarat Titans.

Despite a challenging start due to a fierce opening spell from Kagiso Rabada, Varma's unbeaten century ignited a late-game surge that shifted the momentum decisively in favor of Mumbai.

Rabada's Early Strikes

After being invited to bat by Gujarat, MI faced a rocky beginning. Their troubles commenced in the second over when opener Danish Malewar was dismissed LBW by Kagiso Rabada for just two runs.

By the end of the third over, MI managed to reach 21/1, but Rabada struck again, sending Quinton de Kock back to the pavilion for 13 runs. By the fifth over, MI found themselves struggling at 32/2.

Rabada continued his impressive performance in the sixth over, claiming his third wicket by clean bowling Suryakumar Yadav for 15 runs. This crucial wicket left MI at 46/3 by the end of the power play, putting them in a difficult position.

Varma's Recovery Efforts

As the innings progressed to the 10th over, Naman Dhir and Tilak Varma managed to stabilize the situation, bringing the score to 75/3. However, their partnership was broken in the 13th over when Prasidh Krishna dismissed Dhir, who scored a brisk 45 off 32 balls, featuring six fours and a six.

After the 16th over, Varma and captain Hardik Pandya had lifted the score to 126/4.

Explosive Finish by Varma

Mumbai then accelerated their scoring as Varma and Pandya launched a fierce attack. They scored 15 runs off Rashid Khan in the 17th over and then unleashed a barrage of 26 runs off Ashok Sharma in the 18th over, pushing MI to 167/4. Varma reached a well-deserved half-century off just 33 balls during this explosive phase.

Mohammed Siraj ended the dangerous 81-run partnership by dismissing Pandya for 15 runs in the 19th over, leaving MI at 177/5.

Tilak Varma saved his most explosive hitting for the final over, smashing 22 runs off Prasidh Krishna to complete his century in just 45 balls. His outstanding innings of 101 included eight fours and seven sixes, marking a remarkable recovery for MI.

Bowling Performance of Gujarat

On the bowling side, Kagiso Rabada was the standout performer for Gujarat, leading the attack with impressive figures of 3/33. Mohammed Siraj maintained a disciplined approach with 1/25, while Prasidh Krishna had a tough outing, finishing with 1/54.