By BD Narayankar
Hyderabad, Apr 22 (UNI) A resurgent Mumbai Indians side will look to consolidate their mid-season comeback when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 41 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at Uppal here on Wednesday.
Mumbai, who endured a shaky start to the season, have bounced back with three consecutive wins and now sit sixth in the points table with eight points from as many matches. In contrast, hosts Hyderabad are languishing in the bottom half, having secured just two wins in seven outings and struggling to find rhythm in either department.
The visitors come into this fixture high on confidence after a thumping nine-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, where they chased down 177 in just 15.4 overs.
Opener Rohit Sharma’s unbeaten 76 off 45 balls marked a return to form, while Suryakumar Yadav's dominant 68* off 30 reinforced his reputation as one of the league's most explosive batsmen. SKY has amassed 333 runs at an average of 55.50 and a strike rate of 162.43, and will again be a key figure against SRH.
Mumbai's bowling has also clicked into gear. Jasprit Bumrah (economy 6.25) and Trent Boult have been instrumental in closing out innings, while skipper Hardik Pandya has picked up 11 wickets and provided crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs. Mitchell Santner's tidy spells and Deepak Chahar's support at the top round off a well-set attack.
Hyderabad, meanwhile, remain heavily reliant on their explosive top order to mask weaknesses elsewhere. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have shown sparks of brilliance, with Abhishek scoring 40 and 141 in his last two matches. With 513 runs at an average of 32.06 in 18 matches at Hyderabad, the left-hander's form will be pivotal if SRH are to post or chase down a formidable total.
Middle-order stalwarts Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, and Nitish Kumar Reddy have failed to fire consistently, and the pressure is on to support the top-heavy batting unit. Youngster Aniket Verma, however, has impressed with his finishing ability, striking at 187 and clearing boundaries with ease.
On the bowling front, SRH have been below par. Mohammed Shami and Pat Cummins have leaked runs, and only Harshal Patel, with his slower variations, and Eshan Malinga have provided moments of control. Zeeshan Ansari has taken four wickets in five games and could play a key role in the middle overs.
The match is expected to be another high-scoring affair. The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium has already witnessed innings totals in excess of 240 this season, and with pitch number two likely to be used — known for its flat nature and short boundaries — both teams will aim to breach the 200-run mark. Chasing has been the preferred option here, with three of four matches this season won by the side fielding first.
Predicted Playing XIs:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami, Eshan Malinga; Impact Player: Abhinav Manohar
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashwani Kumar; Impact Player: Rohit Sharma
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