Mumbai, April 20 (IANS) Rohit Sharma scored his first half-century of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, in his eighth innings, and Suryakumar Yadav blazed to a typically belligerent fifty as Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings by nine wickets in the season’s second El Clasico at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday, claiming their first victory over their nemesis in five attempts.
Chasing a challenging target of 177, Rohit Sharma hammered 76 off 45 balls while Suryakumar blazed to 68 off 30 balls as Mumbai Indians scampered to 177/1 in 15.4 overs to romp to a nine-wicket victory with 26 balls remaining.
It looked like a match made for Mumbai batters as three of them scored fifties — Shivam Dube (50) did it earlier for CSK, while a teenager, Ayush Mhatre, from the famed maidans struck a sensational 15-ball 32 on debut as the jam-packed Wankhede crowd was treated to some brilliant power-hitting.
Rohit has been facing questions over his repeated failures in IPL 2025. Though he struck three superb sixes in the previous match, his hopes were dashed soon. But on Sunday, the six-time IPL winner finally found his rhythm, playing some of his usual shots as he reached his half-century off 33 balls. He was a bit lucky on occasions, his shots eluded the fielders narrowly. But there was no stopping The Hitman on Sunday as he smacked four boundaries and six maximums to remind people that it was not time to write the epitaph to his illustrious career.
At the other end, Suryakumar Yadav once again proved why he is called the 360-degree batter as he struck boundaries to all corners of the ground, sweeping, slog-sweeping, pulling and ramping at will as he reached his half-century off 26 balls.
Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav shared a 114-run partnership for the second wicket off 54 balls, scoring at a blistering pace to reach 100 in 51 balls. They secured MI their fourth win of the season, which helped them move to sixth position in the standings with eight points. CSK remained at the bottom with four points from eight matches.
Asked to bat first, Dube and Jadeja struck crucial half-centuries to help Chennai Super Kings post 176/5 in 20 overs in the El Clasico clash against Mumbai Indians on Sunday.
Dube blasted 50 off 32 balls, studded with two fours and four sixes, while Jadeja finished the innings with an unbeaten 53 off 35 balls, laced with four boundaries and two maximums.
CSK scored 59 runs in five overs as Dube and Jadeja shared a 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 50 balls to give the Chennai innings some respectability.
Dube, who has been under fire for failing to perform at his usual standard as CSK slumped to five defeats in a row, struck a superb half-century to help the team set up a challenging total on Sunday. Dube and Jadeja reached their half-centuries off 30 and 34 balls respectively as they helped CSK set up a challenging total.
It was 17-year-old Mhatre who showed the CSK veterans how to score big on this Wankhede wicket, which was slow and also gripping the ball, with a sensational debut, hitting a 15-ball 32 after Rachin Ravindra was sent back for five by Ashwani Kumar.
From 16/1, CSK raced to 48/1 at the end of the power-play with Mhatre hitting Ashwani Kumar for a four and two sixes in his first over — shots that reminded fans of the big-hitting Dwayne Bravo. Mhatre pulled and flicked with aplomb as he provided the CSK innings the push it needed.
Though young bowler Ashwani Kumar, who conceded 24 runs in the 16th over, was taken to the cleaners by debutant Mhatre and Dube as he conceded 42/1 in two overs, Mitchell Santner bowled three brilliant overs for 14 runs and one wicket to peg them back. Jasprit Bumrah claimed 2-25 in his four overs, including the key wickets of Dube and skipper MS Dhoni (4) to finish as the most successful Mumbai bowler.
Brief scores:
Chennai Super Kings 176/5 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 53 not out, Shivam Dube 50, Ayush Mhatre 32; Jasprit Bumrah 2-25, Mitchell Santner 1-14) lost to Mumbai Indians 177/1 in 15.4 overs (Rohit Sharma 76 not out, Suryakumar Yadav 68 not out; Ravindra Jadeja 1-28) by nine wickets.
–IANS
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