Sandeep Sharma announced his return from injury with magnificent figures of 5 for 18, the best by a bowler in this season's IPL before Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to form with a blistering 59-ball century as Rajasthan Royals ended the Jaipur leg of their campaign with a seventh statement win in eight matches to cement their top-flight status.
Set a middling 180 for victory after Mumbai Indians' innings owed everything to a 99-run fifth-wicket stand between Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera, Royals' chase was signalled and sealed by Jaiswal, who had 31 off 18 balls before a 30-minute rain delay, before converting his first fifty of a difficult season into a towering 104 not out off 60 balls.
Jaiswal added 74 in eight overs with the in-form Jos Buttler, who made 35 off 25, and another 109 in 65 with Sanju Samson, whose terrible dismissal for 19 off Tim David at midwicket was the moment Mumbai's hopes faded. By then, Jaiswal had also fallen, on 50, when Wadhera at deep cover lofted a leading edge off Piyush Chawla over the ropes for six.
Mumbai's performance was summed up by the use of their two outstanding bowlers of the campaign. After a first-ball slap for six, Gerald Coetzee bowled like the wind in his solitary powerplay over, visibly troubling Jaiswal with his 150-plus pace, in particular a top-edged pull that flew over the keeper for four. He did not get another over until Jaiswal was in the 80-s when he again had a well-set batsman flinch, but by then the game was lost.
And although Jasprit Bumrah bowled with his usual verve up front, including a two-run first over to limit Buttler's early intentions, he too was held back too late in the chase - and when he returned, his comeback over was unsuccessful. A first-ball no-ball was followed by a second-ball wide on height, where Jaiswal swung the rolled-over free-hit for six, en route to a 16-run over, Bumrah's most expensive of a stellar season.