The Mumbai Indians (MI) secured the final playoff spot in the IPL 2025 season after a dominant 59-run victory over the Delhi Capitals (DC) at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The win not only propelled MI into the playoffs but also eliminated DC from the tournament. Amidst the celebrations, a heartwarming gesture by MI owner Nita Ambani caught the attention of fans and cameras alike.
After the match, as Nita Ambani interacted with the players, she was seen sanitizing the palm of star bowler Jasprit Bumrah before shaking his hand. This simple act served as a timely reminder of the importance of hygiene and safety protocols, especially with the reported rise in COVID-19 cases in India. The moment was captured by photographers and quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising Ambani for her thoughtfulness and concern for the well-being of the players.
Suryakumar Yadav's explosive, unbeaten 73 off 43 balls was instrumental in Mumbai's victory, helping them post a total of 180/5. Bumrah and Mitchell Santner then starred with the ball, each taking three wickets to restrict Delhi Capitals to just 121. MI's all-round performance ensured they joined Gujarat Titans (GT), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 playoffs.
With this being MI's 11th playoff appearance, they remain a strong contender for their sixth IPL title, having previously won in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. While the playoff positions are now finalized, the battle for the top two spots continues. To finish in the top 2, MI must win their final match and hope for losses from both RCB and PBKS.
Nita Ambani has often been seen interacting and encouraging the team. Earlier in the season, she and Hardik Pandya, the MI captain, took a selfie with 19,000 children from NGOs at Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai Indians have a tradition of arranging for children from various NGOs to enjoy a live IPL match at Wankhede as part of a Reliance Foundation initiative, and it is called ESA or Education and Sports for All.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also presented diamond-studded 'champions rings' to Rohit's T20 World Cup winners.
