It’s time for the second El Clasico of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, as the two five-time champions, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), lock horns in Match 38 of the season. The stage is set at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, with the action kicking off at 7:30 PM IST on April 20.
After a challenging start to their 2025 campaign, MI appear to have found their rhythm, winning back-to-back games and hoping to carry that momentum forward. They’ll be especially eager to win at home after failing to beat arch-rivals CSK in match 3, a game in which they failed to chase 156 runs. MI have a solid top order, led by the explosive Rohit Sharma, who looks to create an impact right from the word go. Will Jacks and Ryan Rickleton, along with Suryakumar Yadav, further add more effect, which is bolstered by Tilak Varma‘s consistent presence and Hardik Pandya‘s all-round potency. With the ball, the dependable Jasprit Bumrah leads the pace attack, as he approaches 300 T20 wickets. Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Mitchell Santner all show their support. Vignesh Puthur has emerged as a bright spot in their bowling squad, impressing with a 3/32 debut against CSK earlier this season.
Tumhe bhi ✌️ Will Jacks dikh rahe hai? 👀
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 19, 2025
Of course, cause he is 𝔻𝕆𝕌𝔹𝕃𝔼 𝕋ℝ𝕆𝕌𝔹𝕃𝔼 😉🔥#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai pic.twitter.com/rDwlyUhb8j
On the other hand, CSK are at the bottom of the standings, with only two victories in seven games. Nevertheless, their dominating home performance against MI provide a ray of optimism. In their last match against MI, Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s effortless 53 off 36 and Rachin Ravindra’s undefeated 65 helped CSK win. With MS Dhoni close to becoming CSK’s all-time highest run-scorer, the middle order, which includes Shivam Dube, will be aiming to step up. CSK’s bowling squad remains a formidable force, led by the spin combination of Noor Ahmad, who shined with 4/18 in the last MI match, along with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Matheesha Pathirana has the pace department under control, and his sheer speed and ferocity give another dimension to the assault.
Head-to-Head:
CSK and MI have met off 38 times in the IPL, with the latter winning 20 to the former’s 18. With such a contentious history, every clash between these two titans is fraught with drama, and tonight in Churchgate, another dramatic chapter is likely to unravel.
The last time these two units clashed, CSK won the game by four wickets at the MA Chidambaram stadium.
Where-to-Watch:
OTT: JioHotstar
