That the Mumbai Indians are slow starters in the IPL is a well-known fact, and it held in IPL 2026 as well. After four losses in their first five matches, things were looking bleak for MI. However, the Hardik Pandya-led side turned things around in emphatic fashion, just as quickly as they had gone wrong, thrashing the Gujarat Titans by 99 runs. With the win, MI jumped big places on the IPL 2026 points table, moving from 10th to seventh.

Tilak Varma roared back to form with a magnificent maiden century in the Indian Premier League, helping the Mumbai Indians snap their four-match losing streak with a comprehensive victory on Monday. Tilak remained unbeaten on 101 off 45 balls, reaching the milestone with a boundary off the final ball of the innings to propel MI to 199 for five after a shaky start.

In reply, the Gujarat Titans were bowled out for just 100 in 15.5 overs, with left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar returning excellent figures of 4/24 in his four overs. None of the GT batters contributed a note.

Asked to bat first, MI found themselves in early trouble after Kagiso Rabada (3/33 in four overs) struck thrice inside the powerplay. Naman Dhir came in to score a fighting 45 off 32 balls, but it was Tilak who did the heavy lifting, smashing seven sixes and eight fours to bring an end to his run of low scores in the early stages of the season.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 199/5 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 101*, Naman Dhir 45; Kagiso Rabada 3/33, Mohammed Siraj 1/25).

Gujarat Titans 100 all out in 15.5 overs (Washington Sundar 26; Ashwani Kumar 4/24, Mitchell Santner 2/16).
Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 199/5 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 101*, Naman Dhir 45; Kagiso Rabada 3/33, Mohammed Siraj 1/25).

Gujarat Titans 100 all out in 15.5 overs (Washington Sundar 26; Ashwani Kumar 4/24, Mitchell Santner 2/16).