RR Exit IPL 2025 Playoff Race After Crushing Defeat to MI
New Delhi, May 2, 2025 — Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) campaign in IPL 2025 came to a bitter end after a demoralizing 100-run defeat against the surging Mumbai Indians (MI) on Thursday. The defeat, RR’s eighth of the season, knocked them out of playoff contention and exposed major flaws in the team’s middle-order batting.
Stand-in captain Riyan Parag didn’t hold back in the post-match interview, candidly acknowledging the team’s repeated failures in the middle overs.
“You’ve got to give credit to MI for the way they batted. They kept wickets… 190-200 would have been ideal. We’ve been getting good starts. But it’s up to the middle order — myself, Dhruv (Jurel) — to step up,” Parag told ESPNcricinfo.
“We’ve done a lot of things right and wrong. A lot of mistakes and small errors. We want to focus on them, and focus on the good (stuff) as well.”
MI set a formidable target of 217/2, with their openers, Rickelton (61 off 38) and Rohit Sharma (53 off 36) giving them a blistering start. The pair added 116 for the first wicket before Theekshana broke through. The onslaught continued as Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya added an unbeaten 94-run partnership, both finishing with 48 runs off just 23 balls.
In response, RR faltered from the outset. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi failed to anchor the innings, while Parag (dismissed by Bumrah) and Jurel couldn’t revive the chase. Rajasthan ended their powerplay at 62/5 and were bowled out for just 117 in 13.4 overs.
Trent Boult and Karn Sharma led MI’s bowling charge with three wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah took two. Hardik Pandya and Deepak Chahar claimed a wicket apiece in a thoroughly dominant display.
With this win, Mumbai Indians climbed the table, notching their sixth consecutive victory after a poor start to the season. Their form now makes them one of the strongest contenders for the IPL 2025 title.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan camp faces tough questions going forward. With senior players misfiring and young guns under pressure, skipper Parag’s words underline the need for introspection as RR prepare for a rebuild.
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