IPL 2025
In this fixture last season, Dhoni smashed 20 runs off four deliveries © BCCI
In 2024, Hardik Pandya faced MS Dhoni during a nail-biting moment in the final over: 19.3 6, 19.4 6, 19.5 6, 19.6 2. Dhoni powered his team to 26 runs in that over, igniting a wave of excitement among fans. Despite a century from Rohit Sharma that raised hopes for MI, they ended up losing by the same margin Dhoni had scored in those closing edges.
Fast forward to the current season, and we find the same teams with nearly the same star players. MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin are set to face off once again at Wankhede. While this matchup has historically been a high-profile event, this year’s anticipation doesn’t quite match the usual excitement due to the teams’ current ranks.
The Chennai Super Kings find themselves in a precarious position at the league’s midpoint. Still mathematically in contention for the playoffs, their two wins out of seven games leave them at the bottom of the table. They must either win six or all of their remaining matches, essentially requiring a miracle to progress.
“It’s a challenging situation, isn’t it?” CSK coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged with a touch of resignation. “Given our circumstances, patience is wearing thin. While we focus on this season, we also need to develop players for the future, especially in the second half if the next few matches don’t work in our favor.”
The Mumbai Indians aren’t faring much better, with only one more win than CSK and also having a greater number of losses than wins. However, with their core players including Bumrah, Suryakumar, and Hardik returning to form, they retain some hope for a turn in fortunes in the latter half of the season.
When: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, IPL 2025, April 20, 19:30 IST
Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
What to expect: The pitch for this game is expected to favor batsmen more than it did against Sunrisers Hyderabad, suggesting a high-scoring affair where the team winning the toss may opt to field first.
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