Rohit Sharma takes a lap around Wankhede, has a telling exchange with Nita Ambani; then sets off crowd with Kuldeep, KP

The Mumbai Indians booked their playoff berth with a commanding 59-run win over Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, and it was Rohit Sharma who captured the spotlight long after the final ball was bowled. Despite his early dismissal for 5, the former Mumbai Indians captain drew significant attention post-match, as he embarked on a heartfelt lap of the stadium alongside franchise co-owner Nita Ambani. Rohit Sharma interacts with Nita Ambani; stands alongside Kuldeep Yadav during post-match presentation(X)

The two were locked in deep conversation as they made their way around the ground, a moment that resonated with the crowd, many of whom had vocally backed Rohit amid the franchise’s leadership shift last year. Rohit also announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this month, and inaugurated the ‘Rohit Sharma Stand’ last week at the stadium, adding to the significance of the moment.

The walk alongside Ambani also came against the backdrop of a major decision taken by MI management ahead of the 2024 season, where Hardik Pandya was appointed as the franchise's captain. The move was met with immense backlash from fans and experts alike, and MI endured a disastrous campaign that year, finishing bottom of the table with just four wins in 14 games.

But a year later, the side has turned things around dramatically. With the win over Delhi, MI confirmed their place in the playoffs, keeping alive their hopes of a top-two finish depending on other results.

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Rohit wasn’t done making moments. Following the lap, he stood beside Kuldeep Yadav and Kevin Pietersen during the post-match presentation and proceeded to launch balls into the stands using a tennis racquet, a gesture of gratitude to fans that sent the Wankhede crowd into raptures.

He had already performed a similar act moments earlier from another corner of the ground.

On the field, MI were steered by Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 73 and Naman Dhir’s late fireworks as the duo smashed 48 runs in the final two overs to push the total to a competitive 180 for 5. The pair’s 57-run stand injected life into the innings after a sluggish middle phase, and their blitz turned out to be decisive.

Mitchell Santner (3/11) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/12) then dismantled Delhi, who folded for 121. Despite winning their first four games of the season, DC crashed out of playoff contention — becoming the first team in IPL history to do so after such a start.

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