Mumbai, Apr 16 (UNI) The Wankhede Stadium will host a mouth-watering encounter on Thursday as five-time champions Mumbai Indians take on the resurgent Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 33rd match of the IPL 2025 season. At the heart of this clash lies a fascinating sub-plot — the most explosive top order in the league going up against one of the sharpest death bowling units in the tournament.
Hyderabad arrive in Mumbai buoyed by a record run-chase against Punjab, headlined by Abhishek Sharma’s sensational 141 off just 55 balls — the third-highest score in IPL history. The left-hander, alongside Travis Head (66 off 37), tore into the Punjab attack as SRH chased down 246 with ease, underlining their potential to dismantle any bowling line-up on their day.
However, the Wankhede challenge is a different beast altogether. The pitch is known to favour batsmen, but in Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, Mumbai possess two of the finest exponents of death bowling in the modern game. Boult’s ability to strike early and Bumrah’s pinpoint accuracy in the closing stages have helped MI turn matches even when the odds were against them.
This is the kind of contest that defines a season. Abhishek Sharma is in red-hot form, but going after Bumrah and Boult under lights at the Wankhede is a different ball game. That’s where this match will be decided.
Mumbai come into this fixture having edged past Delhi Capitals in a tense affair. After posting 205-5, they held off a late Delhi surge to secure a 12-run victory. The win was significant, not just for the two points but for the all-round performance. Tilak Varma continued his purple patch with another fifty, while Hardik Pandya played a blistering cameo and chipped in with two wickets. Suryakumar Yadav remains the batting lynchpin, averaging close to 48 this season.
Yet, there are concerns. Rohit Sharma has not looked fluent, while the top order has often failed to fire in tandem. With a power-packed SRH batting lineup waiting, Mumbai will hope for more collective contributions.
MI’s bowling has shown flashes of brilliance, though. Vignesh Puthur and Karn Sharma have chipped in with key middle-over breakthroughs, while Mitchell Santner’s control has allowed others to attack around him. Boult and Bumrah, despite a few expensive overs in their last outing, remain the key to Mumbai’s strategy — particularly in the last five overs.
SRH’s campaign has been as volatile as their batting. After losing four matches on the trot, they turned up in style at home, rewriting the record books with a fearless batting display. Abhishek’s assault was backed by Head’s aggression and Klaasen’s finishing, giving the team a much-needed boost.
Aniket Verma has also emerged as a surprise package, scoring quickly in the lower middle-order. However, their bowling remains a worry. Mohammed Shami has looked off-colour, while Pat Cummins has leaked runs at crucial junctures. Harshal Patel, with his variations, has managed to pick wickets, but the overall economy rates have been alarming.
Eshan Malinga has shown promise, and Zeeshan Ansari has provided control with the ball. But at a venue like Wankhede, containment alone won’t be enough — wickets will be the currency.
The Wankhede strip is expected to be hard and true, offering bounce and pace for the batsmen. While seamers might get some early movement under lights, the surface tends to flatten out quickly, making chasing a preferred option. Scores over 200 have been breached several times at this ground, and both teams will be wary of setting a below-par target.
Weather is expected to be hot and humid, with no rain forecast during the match hours.
Mumbai have had the upper hand in recent encounters, winning three of their last four meetings with SRH, including a 7-wicket victory in May 2024. At Wankhede, MI have traditionally dominated SRH, thanks in part to the familiarity with conditions and fans support.
Both teams currently hover in the mid-table zone, and a win here could be crucial in the jostle for playoff spots. MI, with momentum and home support, start as slight favourites, but if SRH’s top order fires like it did last game, anything is possible.
Probable XIs:
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah. Impact Sub: Karn Sharma.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami, Eshan Malinga.
UNI BDN PRS