Earlier, Titans openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan got off to a steady start, reaching 31/0 in four overs. Then the floodgates opened as Hardik introduced spin for the first time in the form of off-spinner Mujeeb ur Rehman who was smashed for 15.

The next over by Deepak Chahar was even costlier, going for 20, with Mumbai Indians being sloppy not just in their bowling but also their fielding as Naman Dhir conceded four overthrows, with no one backing up. At the end of six overs, Titans had soared to 66/0.

Mumbai Indians were down at the end of the powerplay. But they were certainly not out as they showed when the match resumed after the time out. Hardik and Mitchell Santner bowled two tight overs with no boundaries and suddenly the pressure was back on the Gujarat Titans.

Desperate to get a move on, Gill holed out to deep square leg in Hardik’s next over after making 38 in 27 balls. After 21 balls without a boundary Jos Buttler finally broke the shackles, hitting Mitchell Santner for a six and four off successive balls. At the end of 10 overs, the Titans were at 92/1.

Sai Sudharsan had gone 16 balls without a boundary, not including the four overthrows, before finally ramping a Satyanarayana Raju delivery over the keeper for four as the Titans reached 121/1 after 13 overs.

Mujeeb was brought back after the second timeout and it paid off as the Afghan sent back the dangerous Buttler for 39 off 24 balls, with the Englishman edging one to keeper Ryan Rickelton. The good work was spoiled somewhat by a wide that went all the way to the boundary as the over went for 13.

Sai Sudharsan brought up his 50 off 33 balls from the first ball of the 15th over, at the end of which the Titans were on 140/2. Sudharsan was joined by his Tamil Nadu teammate Shahrukh Khan as the duo looked to get a move on with eight wickets still in hand.

But Shahrukh, who had just hit Hardik Pandya for a six over deep square leg, fell two balls later for nine. Hardik completed his quota with figures of 2/29 in four overs.