The stage was set for a thrilling blockbuster in Sharjah on Tuesday with Mumbai Indians locking horns with Rajasthan Royals in match no. 51 of the tournament. Both the teams came into the contest looking for the vital two points, which would have taken them one step closer in the race to qualify for play-offs. Things were poised brilliantly for a high voltage clash but things did not really pan out the way as expected for the fans.
After putting RR to bat first, Mumbai Indians produced a remarkable display in the field as the bowlers wreaked havoc. Nathan Coulter-Nile took 4 wickets while James Neesham, who was only playing his first game of UAE leg, ended with 3 wickets as the Men in Pink were restricted to a paltry total of 90/9 in 20 overs.
In reply, MI batsmen finished the task in only 8.4 overs as Ishan Kishan, who had returned to the playing XI for this game, returned to form as he justified his inclusion with an unbeaten 25-ball fifty to take his side over the line quite comfortably in the end.
Things going down the wire in IPL 2021
With this big win, MI have completely opened up the points table as they drastically improved their net run rate to close the gap on Kolkata Knight Riders. It all comes down to the last matchday now to see who will be the 4th side to go through to playoffs, making things quite interesting.
As a result, fans went absolutely berserk on Twitter as they heaped praises on Rohit Sharma's side for their dominant display. The netizens also did not miss the opportunity to troll Rajasthan Royals for their disappointing performance in such a crucial contest.
Here are the best reactions: