Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma’s love for pickleball continues to grow, as the young cricketer recently took some time off the field to indulge in a friendly match against actor Vijay Deverakonda. The fun face-off took place just before Mumbai’s high-stakes IPL 2025 match against Gujarat Titans, set to be played on Tuesday at the Wankhede Stadium.
Known for his competitive spirit, Tilak didn’t take the match lightly, despite its casual nature. In fact, he added an extra edge by announcing a playful bet, stating that the losing side would owe something to “Vijay Anna.” The contest saw moments of intense rallies, with Vijay delivering a powerful overhead smash that had Tilak scrambling in defence, not unlike his responses to fiery yorkers on the cricket pitch.
In the end, Vijay held his nerve and edged past the MI star with a 2-1 win, securing bragging rights. With the loss, Tilak may now have to keep his end of the bet likely involving Vijay donning the Mumbai Indians’ iconic blue jersey, as hinted.
Race to playoff gets tighter for MI and GT
The playoff equation is getting tighter with each passing match. MI had briefly topped the table last week but were soon displaced by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Then, in another shuffle, Punjab Kings leapfrogged MI to grab second position.
A win here would be a major boost, bringing the victor closer to a playoff berth and leapfrogging Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the standings. However, the losing side would find their path to a top-two finish more difficult, increasing the stakes for their remaining matches.
With just a handful of games left, every point counts. A win against Gujarat Titans could push MI back to the summit of the table, possibly edging out RCB on net run rate.
