Mumbai: 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.

Punjab Kings produced an inch-perfect bowling effort, the cornerstone of their five-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a truncated IPL match in Bengaluru on Friday.

Tim David (50 not out, 26b) scored well over fifty per cent of RCB’s woefully inadequate 95 for nine after an evening round of rain forced the match to start at 9.45 pm in a 14 overs per side avatar.

Punjab Kings had to go through mild scares initially but went past the line in 12.1 overs with a score of 98 for five, also prolonging RCB’s wait for their first win at home this season.

Kings’ hard-hitting openers Priyansh Arya, the latest IPL sensation, and Prabhsimran Singh were not precisely comfortable on a pitch that offered considerable bounce to the pacers.

Arya, whose hit through the line technique might work well on a flatter surface, understood the perils of playing on the up here as he skied a mistimed swipe off Josh Hazlewood (3/14) to David.

Prabhsimran fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but the Kings might have been jolted a bit when in-form captain Shreyas Iyer walked back.

Iyer tried to cut a delivery from Hazlewood but the ball was too close to his body and he could only edge it to stumper Jitesh Sharma.

Josh Inglis’ departure reduced Punjab to 53 for four, and were slipping to a dangerous territory but they found a calm soldier in Nehal Wadhera.

The left-handed Wadhera (33 not out, 19b), who pummelled leg-spinner Suyash Sharma for a couple of sixes, allayed his team’s worries.

A composed Wadhera played a big hand as Punjab Kings eventually crossed the line, swelling their tally to 10 points to move up to second place on the points table behind leaders Delhi Capitals.

Earlier, clever bowling by the Kings restricted RCB to a disappointing total after Shreyas opted to bowl first.

The decision proved right as his bowlers plucked three wickets in the power play segment.

The match started at 9.45 pm after a steady drizzle refused to fade away for a good part of the evening, and Kings’ skipper Shreyas Iyer did not hesitate to bowl first.

The decision proved right as Punjab bowlers plucked three wickets in the power play segment, which was curtailed to four overs because of the delayed start.

Phil Salt started the proceedings with a crisp boundary but perished in the first over itself, trying to hammer Arshdeep Singh (2/23) out of the park and stumper Josh Inglis completed a good catch.

Virat Kohli did not last long either, as Marco Jansen peddled 20 metres back to pull off a terrific catch off Arshdeep.

Pacer Xavier Bartlett joined his teammate with the wicket of Liam Livingstone.

Livingstone tried to carve Bartlett over covers but the ball was a touch outside the off-stump and the batter could not impart timing to his shot, which was pouched by Priyansh Arya at covers.

The Royal Challengers’ power play phase score read a sorry 26 for three.

Yuzvendra Chahal (2/11) made his return to his one-time IPL home Chinnaswamy Stadium memorable with the wicket of Jitesh Sharma.

Amidst the ruins around him, skipper Rajat Patidar played some handsome shots, and none better than a pick-up off his pads off Bartlett that soared over mid-wicket for a six.

But RCB soon received a body blow as Patidar (23, 18b) could not clear Bartlett at sweeper cover off Chahal, who teased the batters with those tossed up, fuller deliveries.

Jansen (2/10), who used short-pitched balls to good effect, had his own moments as he jettisoned Krunal Pandya and Impact Sub Manoj Bhandage as RCB innings unravelled.

It was despite a few customary big blows by David (50 not out, 26 balls) that included three sixes in a row off left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar. David made 32 runs for the final wicket with Josh Hazlewood off 14 balls.

A sprightly Mumbai Indians continued their ascent in IPL 2025 with a four-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in a one-sided contest on a tricky wicket in Mumbai on Thursday.

Led by Will Jacks who played a decisive role with a fine 36 (26 balls) after a crucial spell of 2/14, Mumbai Indians executed an all-round show to record their second consecutive win.

The home side came on top for having assessed the Wankhede Stadium pitch accurately and adapting quickly to the conditions it presented, with each of the pieces falling in place for the five-time winners.

MI’s fast bowlers used the short and slower balls well throughout the first innings and nailed their yorkers perfectly. In the run chase, the MI batters showed a clear plan to keep finding the boundaries which kept them on top.

Chasing 163 on a pitch which had grip and turn, MI were also benefited by SRH’s reluctance to bring on spin in the powerplay, as the home side made 166/6 in 18.1 overs to record their third win of the season.

Even though Rohit Sharma endured another failure after a promising start in which he made 26 off 16 balls with three sixes, he gave MI the momentum with the bat and the others capitalised on it.

Opener Ryan Rickelton made a fluent 31 while Suryakumar Yadav hammered two sixes and as many fours to make 26 (off 15 balls) to provide a strong support to Jacks.

Captain Hardik Pandya played a crucial cameo of 21 off just nine balls to take MI to the threshold of victory. Tilak Varma (21 not out) then took MI over the line after a late minor hiccup as the home side reached 166 for 6 in 18.1 overs.

In the first half, Sunrisers Hyderabad found late momentum with the bat to fight their way through and post 162 for 5.

With the surface at the Wankhede Stadium providing grip and turn for the spinners and slower deliveries giving dividends to the pace bowlers, Sunrisers Hyderabad batters struggled to adapt to the wicket for most part of the innings.

But a big finish — 57 runs coming off the last five overs — gave SRH some much-needed impetus towards the end.

MI bowlers were spot-on in formulating their plans and near-perfect in their execution with Jasprit Bumrah delivering a measly 4-0-21-1, Trent Boult nailing his yorkers again to return 4-0-29-1 and Will Jacks producing an impressive 3-0-14-2.

The SRH struggle was evident from the start even as Abhishek Sharma stroked his way to 40 off 28 balls with seven boundaries.

It all started with an eventful first over when the two SRH openers got a reprieve each off Deepak Chahar.

Abhishek went down the wicket, swinging his bat on the first delivery. The ball shaped away slightly to take the edge but Jacks failed to get hold of it.

On the fourth delivery, Travis Head played one straight to Karn Sharma at midwicket where he failed to pluck a low catch as the ball fell just short of him.

Abhishek looked to be hitting his strides when he smacked three fours off Chahar in the fifth over but there was just no momentum gained.

Raj Angad Bawa timed his dive to grab the ball to dismiss Abhishek off Pandya for the first breakthrough and by then it was evident that SRH would have to scrape their way through to a competitive total.

Jacks then had former MI player Ishan Kishan stumped for a mere two.

Head was unable to open up even as he tried his best to cut loose. Despite having caught off a no-ball with Pandya overstepping, Head failed to capitalise as he fell for an ordinary 29-ball 28.

Such was the impact of MI’s control that the first six of the game came as late as in the 18th over — the best one of SRH’s innings — when Heinrich Klaasen (37 off 28 balls, 3x4s, 2x6s) took 21 runs to spoil Chahar’s figures (4-0-47-0).

In the final over, Aniket Verma hit a couple of sixes and Pat Cummins smacked one to take vital 22 runs off Pandya.