New Delhi: Last night in IPL 2026 GT vs MI played one of those innings that stops you mid scroll and makes you put your phone down. Tilak varma, a 23 year old, walked in with Mumbai Indian wobbling at 44 for 3.
Tilak’s Score 101*, GT’s entire total 100, Winning Margins 99
What happened last night at Ahmedabad stadium
When Tilak came to crease, MI were in big trouble. 3 wickets down inside 6over(powerplay), sitting on 44runs, chasing what felt like an increasingly very little hope of a big score. He didn’t look like he is going to make a history, 19 runs from his first 22 balls.
Then came the strategic timeout, and a quite word from captain Hardik Pandya. Whatever was said it worked what followed was 82 runs From the next 23 deliveries.
He pulled up his maiden IPL century with a boundary off the very last ball of the innings, finishing 101 not out off 45 balls. Mumbai Indians posted 199/5 and won the match by 99runs as Gujarat Titans managed to score 100
Kukatpally make Tilak Varma
To understand what this innings meant, you have to understand where Tilak Varma came from. He was born in November 2002 in Kukatpally, a densely packed neighbourhood in Hyderabad — not the kind of place that produces IPL superstars by accident.
His father, Namboori Nagaraju, is an electrician. His mother, Gayatri Devi, a homemaker. They weren’t a cricket family. They became one because their son was obsessed.
As a young child, Tilak apparently slept with a plastic bat. When he was 11, a coach named Salam Bayash spotted him playing tennis-ball cricket. He began training at the Legala Cricket Academy — a 40-kilometre round trip every single day.
For a while his family made that journey happen through sheer will and sacrifice. Eventually they moved closer just to make it sustainable.
MI bowling performance finished the match
If Tilak’s batting was the headline, Mumbai Indians’ bowling was the fine print that sealed the story. Chasing 200, Gujarat Titans never got going. Jasprit Bumrah struck with his very first delivery of the season a moment in itself, and the innings unravelled quickly from there.
Debutant pacer Ashwani Kumar was the night’s other revelation. Four wickets for 24 runs in a first IPL appearance — the kind of debut that earns a young bowler an extended run.
Mitchell Santner and Allah Ghazanfar each picked up two wickets, and GT were bowled out for 100 in barely 16 overs. Washington Sundar’s 26 was their highest contribution.
- MI 199/5 – Tilak Varma 101*, Naman Dhir 45 · Rabada 3/33
- GT 100 – Washington Sundar 26 · Ashwani Kumar 4/24
- MI won by 99 runs
- Player of the match: Tilak Varma
What changes came after win for MI
Four consecutive losses had left Mumbai Indians looking lost — without direction, without momentum, without the aura that five IPL titles usually carry.
After Monday night, that conversation is over for now. The win doesn’t just give them two points, it gives them a net run rate boost that could matter come the business end of the season, and perhaps more importantly it gives the dressing room something to believe in.
Tilak Varma himself had scored just 43 runs across five innings coming into this game. That’s the context nobody mentions enough: this wasn’t a player in scorching form who delivered.
This was a player who had been quietly struggling; however, he never let the pressure dictate his game. Instead of pressing, he consciously slowed down, and in doing so, trusted his process. As a result, when the moment demanded it, he exploded with intent and clarity.
Moreover, this ability to shift gears at the right time highlights a rare mental strength. In fact, such temperament is far rarer than centuries, because it reflects not just skill, but composure under pressure.
After Post Match
I was just reading the situation and understanding what the team needed. Staying calm, I kept things simple and trusted my skills. That’s why I feel really proud of myself.
— Tilak Varma
