Mumbai Indians Crush Chennai Super Kings by 9 Wickets in a Dominant Display at Wankhede
In a one-sided affair at the Wankhede Stadium on April 20, 2025, Mumbai Indians (MI) delivered a resounding 9-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 38th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Powered by scintillating half-centuries from Rohit Sharma (76* off 45) and Suryakumar Yadav (68* off 30), MI chased down CSK’s 176 for 5 with 26 balls to spare, boosting their net run rate and climbing to sixth on the points table. CSK, languishing at the bottom, suffered a crushing defeat, their playoff hopes fading further after a lackluster batting effort and a toothless bowling performance.
MI captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first, capitalizing on Wankhede’s reputation as a chasing venue, where dew often aids the second innings. MI brought in Ashwani Kumar for the injured Karn Sharma, while CSK handed a debut to 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre in place of Rahul Tripathi and retained their spin-heavy attack with Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Noor Ahmad. Both teams were desperate for a win, with MI riding a two-match winning streak and CSK coming off a rare victory against Lucknow Super Giants.
CSK’s innings was a mixed bag, characterized by a cautious start, a brief spark from debutant Mhatre, and a late surge from Shivam Dube and Jadeja. Sent in to bat, CSK openers Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra struggled to find rhythm, managing only 16 runs in the first three overs. Ravindra (5 off 5) fell early to Ashwani Kumar, edging a lofted drive, but Mhatre’s fearless 32 off 15, including four fours and a six, injected life into the innings. His flair drew praise from CSK coach Stephen Fleming, who called him “a very composed young man.”
However, CSK’s middle overs were stifled by MI’s disciplined bowling, particularly from Jasprit Bumrah and Mitchell Santner. A 26-ball boundary drought between overs 7 and 11 saw CSK crawl to 72 for 3, with Rasheed (19 off 20) and Mhatre falling to Deepak Chahar and Jadeja, respectively. Dube (50 off 32) and Jadeja (53* off 35) revived the innings with a 79-run fourth-wicket stand, Dube smashing a six off Trent Boult and Jadeja capitalizing on pace. MS Dhoni’s rare failure (4 off 5), dismissed by a Bumrah full toss, capped a disappointing finish, with CSK reaching 176 for 5. Dhoni later admitted, “We were quite below par. We should have capitalized and got those runs.”
MI’s bowling unit, led by Bumrah (2 for 25) and Santner, was clinical in exploiting CSK’s conservative approach. Bumrah’s death-over mastery, including Dhoni’s dismissal, ensured CSK couldn’t breach the 200-run mark, despite Wankhede’s flat track and short boundaries. Ashwani Kumar (1 for 24) and Deepak Chahar (1 for 29) provided early breakthroughs, while Santner’s tight lines restricted CSK to just 48 runs in the powerplay. MI’s fielding, including a stunning boundary-line catch by Ayush Mhatre to dismiss Ryan Rickelton, complemented their bowling effort.
Chasing 177, MI’s batting juggernaut, led by Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, made a mockery of CSK’s bowling. Rohit, in sublime touch, raced to 43 off 26 by the eighth over, peppering the off-side with four sixes and two fours. Ryan Rickelton (15 off 14) provided early support but fell to Jadeja, who briefly raised CSK’s hopes with figures of 1 for 28. Suryakumar, promoted to No. 3, unleashed a barrage of sweeps against CSK’s spinners, scoring 36 runs off 10 sweep shots, including four fours and three sixes. His 68* off 30, with a fifty in just 26 balls, was a testament to his preparation against Jadeja, against whom he had previously struggled (50 runs off 65 balls).
The 114-run unbroken second-wicket partnership off 54 balls was MI’s fourth 100-plus stand against CSK in IPL history. Rohit’s 76* earned him the Player of the Match award, and his 20th IPL Player of the Match honor moved him to third on the all-time list. Suryakumar, reflecting on batting with Rohit, said, “It gets easier when I bat with him. He told me to just play my shots and enjoy.” MI sealed the chase in 15.4 overs, with Suryakumar lofting a six over long-off to finish in style.
CSK’s bowling attack, heavily reliant on spin, was dismantled by MI’s aggressive batting. Khaleel Ahmed (0 for 24) and Jamie Overton (0 for 29) found some nip early but failed to capitalize, with a missed review against Rickelton proving costly. Ashwin (0 for 25) and Jadeja (1 for 28) were tidy but lacked venom, while Noor Ahmad (0 for 36) was taken apart by Suryakumar’s sweeps. Matheesha Pathirana’s 1.4 overs went for 34 runs, and CSK’s 16 dropped catches in IPL 2025—the most by any team—further hurt their cause. Fans on X lamented CSK’s “lazy fielding” and “clueless” tactics, with one user noting, “Bringing in Ashwin makes zero sense.”
Rohit Sharma, elated with MI’s third straight win, emphasized their timely peaking: “We are peaking at the right time. Today was a very good game for us.” Hardik Pandya’s tactical acumen, including promoting Suryakumar to No. 3, paid dividends, as MI ended CSK’s four-match winning streak against them. Dhoni, visibly disappointed, acknowledged MI’s dominance, particularly Bumrah’s death bowling, and urged his team to start their slog earlier. The warm hug between Dhoni and Rohit post-match was a touching moment amid the fierce rivalry.
MI’s comprehensive victory, their third in eight matches, propelled them to sixth place with eight points, enhancing their net run rate significantly. CSK, with only two wins in eight games, remained rooted to the bottom, their playoff chances dwindling. The defeat marked CSK’s joint-second heaviest by wickets in IPL history, level with a 9-wicket loss to MI in 2008.
MI’s emphatic win reaffirmed their resurgence, with Rohit and Suryakumar’s form signaling danger for upcoming opponents. Their next challenge is against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, where they’ll aim to extend their winning streak. CSK, reeling from the loss, face Royal Challengers Bengaluru at home on April 25, desperately needing a turnaround. As IPL 2025 intensifies, MI’s clinical performance at Wankhede will be remembered as a masterclass in chasing, while CSK must regroup to salvage their campaign.
