Noor Ahmed’s Magical Spell and Rachin Ravindra’s Brilliance Power CSK to Victory
The IPL 2025 season began with a thrilling face-off between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Despite Mumbai’s efforts, CSK clinched a dominant four-wicket victory, further extending MI’s unfortunate record of losing their opening match for the 13th consecutive IPL season.
CSK vs MI: Key Match Highlights
- Mumbai Indians (MI) Innings: 155/9 in 20 overs
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Innings: 158/6 in 19.1 overs
- CSK won by 4 wickets
- Noor Ahmed’s sensational 4-wicket haul dismantled MI’s batting order
- Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 guided CSK to a comfortable win
Mumbai’s 13th Consecutive Opening Match Defeat
Playing their first match without regular captain Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians once again stumbled in their season opener. Since 2012, MI has not won a single opening match, making this their 13th consecutive first-match defeat. The team’s struggle to find momentum was evident right from the start.
CSK’s Chase: Ravindra and Gaikwad Shine, Jadeja Provides the Finishing Touch
Chasing a 156-run target, CSK suffered an early setback as Rahul Tripathi fell for just two runs in the second over. However, Rachin Ravindra and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad built a crucial 67-run partnership off just 37 balls, setting a strong foundation for the chase.
After Gaikwad’s well-crafted 53-run knock, CSK’s innings wobbled slightly, but Ravindra Jadeja’s composure under pressure helped stabilize the chase. His 36-run partnership with Rachin Ravindra proved to be a game-changer, bringing CSK within touching distance of the target. Though Jadeja was run out just four runs before victory, CSK comfortably sealed the win in 19.1 overs.
CSK Batting Highlights
- Rachin Ravindra: 65* (Match-Winning Knock)
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: 53 (Captain’s Knock)
- Ravindra Jadeja: 25 (Crucial Late-Game Stability)
- MS Dhoni: Unbeaten (0*)
- Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, Sam Curran: Minor Contributions
Mumbai’s Batting Struggles – A Nightmare Start
MI’s innings started on a disastrous note as Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck in the very first over by Khalil Ahmed. The troubles deepened as Ryan Rickelton (13) fell soon after, while returning CSK star Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Will Jacks, further putting MI on the backfoot.
Mumbai’s Key Partnerships
- Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma steadied the innings with a crucial 40+ run partnership, but their stand was cut short when MS Dhoni’s quick glovework stumped Surya for 29 runs.
- Tilak Varma top-scored with 31 runs, but lack of contributions from the lower order led to MI’s downfall.
Mumbai Indians Batting Highlights
- Tilak Varma: 31 (Top Scorer)
- Suryakumar Yadav: 29
- Naman Dheer: 17
- Robin Minj: 3
- Mitchell Santner: 11
- Trent Boult: 1
- Deepak Chahar: 28* (Unbeaten)
CSK Bowlers Dominate as Noor Ahmed Steals the Show
CSK’s bowling attack completely outclassed MI’s batting lineup, with Noor Ahmed delivering a game-changing spell, taking 4 wickets. Khalil Ahmed provided excellent support, picking up three crucial wickets, while Nathan Ellis and Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with one wicket each.
CSK Bowling Figures
- Noor Ahmed: 4 Wickets (Match-Winner)
- Khalil Ahmed: 3 Wickets
- Nathan Ellis: 1 Wicket
- Ravichandran Ashwin: 1 Wicket
