Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2025 journey came to a close in Ahmedabad on Sunday night, as they fell short in Qualifier 2 against Punjab Kings. Tasked with defending a formidable 204, the five-time champions were undone by a

Shreyas Iyer

masterclass that propelled PBKS to their second IPL final. But while the loss ended their title hopes, MI’s campaign was far from forgettable.

True to their tradition of slow starts, Mumbai found themselves stumbling early this season with just one win in their first four games. But the side found its form returning after the thrilling final-over win against Delhi Capitals in Delhi, which turned their season on its head.

Spearheaded by the core of

Suryakumar Yadav

,

Rohit Sharma

,

Jasprit Bumrah

and captain

Hardik Pandya

, among others, MI stitched together a six-match winning streak that not only dragged them into the playoffs but also revived belief in a sixth title push. A pulsating Eliminator win over Gujarat Titans had the blue brigade dreaming once again until Iyer shut the door with an unbeaten 87 off just 41 balls in the chase.

Following the side’s heartbreaking exit, videos of MI players parting ways at the airport have gone viral, especially one moment between Rohit Sharma and Arjun Tendulkar, which went viral on social media. Rohit said his goodbyes to Mi teammates and staff members, with Arjun also present.

Watch Rohit’s gesture

Rohit Sharma endured a tough start to the season but found his form with a scintillating 76* against Chennai Super Kings. He followed it up with another half-century knock (70) in the very next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit was the Player of the Match in MI’s Eliminator win over Gujarat Titans, where he smashed a terrific 81 off 50 deliveries to guide the side to a mammoth score of 228/5. In the Qualifier 2, however, Rohit failed to make a mark, scoring 8.

Jayawardene on defeat

Speaking after the loss, head coach Mahela Jayawardene struck a tone of pride tinged with disappointment.

“I think we probably left a bit of runs on the park with the bat… but 200 was still a good score,” he said, pointing to a mid-innings collapse that saw key wickets—Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav—fall in quick succession. “The execution was not up to our standards.”

Yet Jayawardene refused to pin the loss on individuals, instead praising the team’s overall fight across the season. “The way we regrouped after the start we had—there’s a lot to take pride in,” he added. MI’s innings was built on brisk top-order partnerships and a calculated late surge, but Iyer’s calm dismantling of the chase proved too polished to contain.

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