On Sunday, the TATA IPL 2025 saw a smashing return of the Mumbai Indians (MI), who thrashed arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by a massive nine-wicket margin in Match 38 at the Wankhede Stadium. The blazing victory, accomplished through a vintage Rohit Sharma innings and a Suryakumar Yadav blitz, enabled MI to track down a 177-run target in just 15.4 overs and also get a significant boost in net run rate (NRR) over the opponents they had earlier lost to this season.
First Innings: CSK Post Competitive 176/5
Dismissed by MI skipper Hardik Pandya for a bat-first decision, CSK’s opening pair was placid, scoring just 16/0 in the first three overs. Their fortunes changed when Ashwani Kumar, in the XI after missing the last game, dismissed Rachin Ravindra with his first ball. But it was Ayush Mhatre, the debutant, who stood out with a smashing 4, 6, 6 in the last three balls of that over and a quick 15 balls 32 before losing his wicket to Deepak Chahar.
Shaik Rasheed was soon followed by stumped Santner, leaving CSK in a lot of trouble at 63/3. It was the partnership of Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja, who rebuilt the innings after a cautious start. The couple had a conservative beginning but raised the tempo-especially in the 16th over when they scored 24 runs off Ashwani. Dube was halfway through the job when his 32-ball effort was cut off by Jasprit Bumrah, who also dismissed M.S. Dhoni. Jadeja then anchored the innings with a fine 53* off 35 balls, finishing the score of CSK at 176/5.
Second Innings: Rohit and Surya Steal the Show
Mumbai Indians (MI) responded to a target of 177 brilliantly with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, who eagerly raced to 62 in just six overs. Rickelton gave a good account of himself by posting 24. Still, it was nothing in comparison to the fireworks that were yet to come from Suryakumar Yadav after he stepped in to play alongside Rohit.
Rohit, who had been out of touch the entire season, came back very strong and scored an amazing 76 runs off 45 balls that included four boundaries and six hits over the ropes. Surya, on the other hand, was the bolter of the two, finishing with a 68* off 30, with two fours and three sixes. Their 114-run unbroken stand was responsible for taking MI to the target in just 74/2 overs.
Key Performers
- Rohit Sharma: 76* (45) – A stunning display of disciplined aggression.
- Suryakumar Yadav: 68* (30) – A classic example of style and accuracy.
- Ayush Mhatre (CSK): 32 (15) – Fearless strokeplay was Mhatre’s trademark, and the performance was impressive with that.
- Jasprit Bumrah: 2/26 – He was the key figure in taking away Dhoni (2) and Dube (3), which were the most valuable wickets of that innings.
Impact and Outlook
The win was so magnificent that MI could not only secure the fourth victory of the tournament but also gain a significant boost in their NRR ratings, which in a cutthroat playoff situation might be the decisive factor. The Pune team struggled in the chase and eventually lost, exposing their shaky middle order and underwhelming bowling performances.
The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians, who now have the flow on their side, have set their sights on a fantastic set of results in the last matches of the season; on the other side, a sooner-than-later accumulation of victories is what Chennai Super Kings need to look for to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.
