CSK Edges Past MI, SRH Crush RR in IPL 2025’s Opening Matches

CSK wins, SRH dominates
Written by: OCBG Editorial Team
Read time 1 m.
Updated

Sunday, March 23, saw two matches of the new 18th IPL season. In one of them, Sunrisers Hyderabad outplayed Rajasthan Royals (286/6 against 242/6), and later, Chennai Super Kings were stronger than Mumbai Indians (158/6 against 155/9)

SRH vs. RR 

Sunrisers Hyderabad set the tone for the season with top performance against the Rajasthan Royals. SRH posted a massive total of 286 for 6, thanks to a stunning unbeaten 106 off 47 balls by debutant Ishan Kishan. 

The opening stand between Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma laid a solid foundation, putting on 94 runs in the powerplay. Head contributed 67 runs before being dismissed by Tushar Deshpande. Kishan then took control, smashing the RR bowlers to all parts of the ground. 

RR’s chase began poorly with the early loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag. However, Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel fought back with a 111-run partnership. Samson, despite a finger injury, smashed 66 runs, while Jurel scored 70 off 35 balls. Despite their efforts, RR fell short, finishing at 242 for 6, 44 runs behind SRH.

CSK vs. MI 

In the second match, the Chennai Super Kings secured a four-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians (MI). CSK’s bowlers, including the new acquisitions, were crucial in restricting MI to 155 for 9. For example, Noor Ahmad was the star with 4 wickets for 18 runs. He was eventually recognized as the best player of the match. 

CSK’s chase was led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 53 off 26 balls. However, MI’s Vignesh Puthur caused a few hiccups and picked up 3 wickets. CSK lost quick wickets, but Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 off 45 balls guided them to victory. 

MI’s innings were dominated by CSK’s disciplined bowling, with R Ashwin making an immediate impact on his return. Noor Ahmad’s spell was particularly impressive, as he outfoxed MI’s batsmen with his variations. This included a stumping by MS Dhoni to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav.

What’s Next 

The teams will not have to rest for long. RR will host reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 26, while SRH will play Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) the following day. CSK will host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 28, while MI will play away to Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 29.