IPL 2025: Abhishek Sharma returns to venue that made him a star

MUMBAI: This match, irrespective of which team wins, should be a treat for Mumbai’s fans. Abhishek Sharma is back at the Wankhede, the venue where he smashed that fabulous 54-ball 135 against a stunned England at the Wankhede Stadium in early Feb this year.
What’s more, he is fresh off an equally murderous 55-ball 141 which helped the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) chase down Punjab Kings’ 246 with ease in Uppal. Needless to say, hosts Mumbai Indians (MI) have a massive challenge on their hands when they face SRH on Thursday night.

Perhaps burdened by the weight of huge expectations since that scintillating century against England, the 24-year-old was groping for runs at the start of the IPL, getting out for scores of 24, 6, 1, 2, and 18. Then he exploded against PBKS to register the highest-ever individual score by an Indian batter in the IPL.
MI will look to control the damage from Abhishek and his equally destructive opening partner Travis Head by unleashing their ace seam bowling duo, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. Both Abhishek and Head like to pounce on the new ball, but attacking Boult, who has a habit of striking in the Powerplays, and Bumrah, won’t be straight forward.
Abhishek, Head and South African ’keeper bat Heinrich Klaasen form the engine room of the SRH batting lineup. But MI will also have to deal with an insider. Ishan Kishan, who was an integral part of the franchise since 2018, and was let go by MI, will be having a point to prove. And he knows the Wankhede inside out.

Ishan had a stunning debut for SRH, smashing a blazing 106 not out off just 47 balls against Rajasthan Royals, but since then his form has dipped. Conversely, MI have someone in their lineup who was on the SRH rolls once: Karn Sharma.
Playing his first match of the season, the experienced leggie took 3/36, including the crucial wickets of the in-form KL Rahul and Tristian Stubbs, to help Mumbai pull off a heist against DC in the last match. If Karn and Kiwi left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, whose brilliant delivery castled a well-set Karun Nair and changed the course of the last match, combine well again, MI will be difficult to beat.
Two SRH bowlers who will be marked men will be Uttar Pradesh’s impressive young leg-spinner Zeshan Ansari, who has taken four wickets in four matches at 35.25 (ER 9.40), and Sri Lankan seamer Eshan Malinga. Taking 2/45 on his debut in four overs in a high-scoring match, Eshan managed to impress Lasith Malinga.
The Sri Lankan fastbowling great posted on X after watching him: “Well bowled, Malinga!” MI will no doubt be rejuvenated after their comefrom-behind win against the Delhi Capitals in their last match on Sunday.