CSK vs MI IPL 2025 Recap: Chennai Win by 4 Wickets

Indian Premier LeagueResult

Chennai Super Kings

158/6

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai · Sunday, 23 March 2025

Chennai Super Kings won by 4 wicketsPlayer of the match: Noor Ahmad

Match preview

Chennai Super Kings edge Mumbai Indians by 4 wickets in low-scoring Chepauk thriller

Match overview

Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 4 wickets at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on 23 March 2025, chasing down a target of 156 to finish on 158/6. Mumbai Indians had a difficult evening with the bat, losing wickets in clusters across all three phases: 3 down in the powerplay, 3 more through the middle, and a further 3 in the death overs. The total of 155/9 fell well below Chepauk's average first-innings score of 192. Noor Ahmad was named Player of the Match for his role in keeping MI subdued. Chennai's chase was not without wobble, particularly in the middle overs where they conceded 4 wickets for 57 runs, but they held their nerve to cross the line.

This is a rivalry with 39 meetings behind it, and Mumbai Indians came in with a slim 21-18 overall lead. They had also hammered CSK by 9 wickets in an earlier 2025 encounter, so the result was far from predetermined. Chennai's ability to win the toss and choose conditions to their liking, then back it up with disciplined bowling, was the difference on the night.

Venue and conditions

M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, known informally as Chepauk, has hosted 127 T20 matches and built a clear statistical identity. The average first-innings score is 192, the average second-innings score is 177, and teams batting second win roughly 46% of the time. On the surface, that might suggest an advantage to the side batting first, but the toss data complicates that picture: only 41% of toss winners have chosen to field, meaning most captains back their batting line-up here.

Chennas bucked that trend by electing to bowl, and the pitch produced its familiar characteristics. The powerplay average at this ground is 43 runs; CSK's openers made 62/1 in the first six, 19 runs clear of the norm. Mumbai Indians' powerplay was more representative of the venue at 52/3, though losing three wickets so early was costly. Spin has historically been influential in the middle phases, and Chepauk's surface tends to slow up as the match progresses, which benefits wrist-spinners and off-break bowlers alike.

How to watch

IPL matches are available in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming via Sky Go for existing subscribers. If you're not a Sky customer, NOW TV day and month passes offer access to the full Sky Sports package without a contract. Afternoon IPL fixtures generally start around 14:00 BST, while evening matches typically begin at 19:30 BST. Check Sky Sports' schedule for precise kick-off times as they can shift during the tournament window.

Recent form

Mumbai Indians arrived at this fixture carrying a difficult run from the 2024 season: four defeats in their last five matches, with their only win coming against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Chennai Super Kings were not in much better shape, having won two and lost three of their final five 2024 outings, with defeats to Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings. Neither side came in riding a wave of confidence. Against that backdrop, the quality of Chennai's powerplay batting and Noor Ahmad's bowling performance stood out as genuine bright spots rather than lucky results. For Mumbai Indians, a top order that has wobbled in their recent record will need more consistent contributions if they are to challenge for a top-four position as the 2025 season develops.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

Noor Ahmad earns Player of the Match

The Afghan left-arm spinner was the standout performer on a night when Mumbai Indians could only manage 155/9. His contribution in the powerplay and middle phases kept MI's batting in check throughout the innings and earned him the individual award.

Angle 02

CSK's powerplay outpaced the venue average by 19 runs

Chennai Super Kings raced to 62/1 in the first six overs, well clear of M. A. Chidambaram Stadium's average powerplay score of 43. That early platform effectively set up the chase, even as the middle overs cost them 4 wickets for 57 runs.

Angle 03

MI's total fell 37 short of the venue average

The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium's average first-innings score across 127 matches is 192. Mumbai Indians' 155/9 sat well below that mark, and losing 3 wickets in both the powerplay and the death overs (overs 16-20) highlighted a stuttering innings with no sustained period of dominance.

Angle 04

CSK's toss call paid off

Chennai won the toss and chose to field, a decision that aligns with the venue's batting-second tendency. The chase success rate at Chepauk stands at 46%, and CSK navigated the 156-run target to win with 4 wickets in hand.

Angle 05

Head-to-head swings back in CSK's favour

Going into this fixture, Mumbai Indians led the all-time series 21-18 across 39 meetings. This win for Chennai pulled the gap tighter and continued a recent run in which CSK have won three of the last five encounters between these sides.

Context

Key insights

Historical · Not official

Venue par

192

Avg 1st innings score at Chepauk

127 matches · 2003–2026

Chase success

46%

Chases completed successfully at Chepauk

127 matches · 2003–2026

Head to head

21 — 18

Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings — 39 meetings

2007–2025

Mumbai Indians at venue

50%

Win rate across 16 matches at Chepauk

Chennai Super Kings at venue

66%

Win rate across 79 matches at Chepauk

Powerplay

45/1.3

Average runs/wickets in overs 1–6 at Chepauk

Historical aggregates derived from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org) under ODC-BY licence. 2001/02–2026 IPL seasons. For editorial context only — not official live match data, not a forecast, and not betting advice. Projections and comparisons above are frozen from the live state and may not match final statistics.

The rivalry

Who could decide it

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have met 39 times in IPL cricket, making this one of the most played rivalries in the competition's history. Mumbai lead 21-18 overall. Recent momentum has favoured Chennai, who have taken three of the last five meetings, though MI's 9-wicket demolition earlier in 2025 showed this fixture can turn on a single performance.

Recent meetings

Last 5

2025: Mumbai Indians won by 9 wickets at Wankhede
2024: Chennai Super Kings won by 20 runs at Wankhede
2023: Chennai Super Kings won by 6 wickets at Chepauk
2023: Chennai Super Kings won by 7 wickets at Wankhede
2022: Mumbai Indians won by 5 wickets at Wankhede

Key player · Chennai Super Kings

R Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin's record at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in any format speaks for itself, and in T20 cricket his familiarity with Chepauk conditions is a live asset. On a surface that tends to assist spin, his ability to control the middle overs is central to CSK's bowling plans.

Full career stats

Chennai Super Kings

RA Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja contributes with both bat and ball at Chepauk, a ground where slow bowlers have historically dominated. His lower-order hitting can accelerate a chase or rescue a middle-order wobble, as the 4 wickets CSK lost in the middle overs here demonstrated.

Career stats →

Mumbai Indians

A Kumble

Anil Kumble's figures of 13/181 across a Test match at this ground underline how sharply Chepauk can assist wrist spin. For Mumbai Indians, any spinner who can exploit the surface in the middle overs carries additional value at this venue.

Career stats →

Chennai Super Kings

Noor Ahmad

Noor Ahmad was named Player of the Match after helping restrict Mumbai Indians to 155/9. His performance in this fixture showed he can operate effectively in both the powerplay and the middle phases on a Chepauk surface that offered variable bounce and turn.

Angles to watch

Analytical angles worth tracking

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top wicket-taker markets may suit spinners given Chepauk's historically spin-friendly conditions and the 46% average powerplay contribution from pace bowlers at this ground.
First-innings total lines could be worth monitoring: Mumbai Indians fell 37 runs short of the venue's average first-innings score of 192, suggesting MI's batting markets may be priced against a fuller version of themselves.
Toss markets are contextually relevant here. Chennai opted to field after winning the toss, a pattern consistent with this ground's split but against the majority toss-field rate of 41% across 127 matches.
Player of the Match markets may reflect the Chepauk spin tendency. All three of the most prolific individual bowling performances at this venue in any format have come from spinners, which could inform how those lines are set.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Questions

Frequently asked

Chennai Super Kings won the match, chasing down Mumbai Indians' total of 155/9 to finish on 158/6, winning by 4 wickets. The match was played at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Noor Ahmad was named Player of the Match. The Afghan spinner played a key role in restricting Mumbai Indians to 155/9 across the first innings.

Across 39 IPL meetings, Mumbai Indians lead 21-18. Chennai have won three of the last five encounters, including this match. There have been no no-result finishes in any of their 39 meetings.

IPL matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. You can also stream via Sky Go or purchase a NOW TV day pass if you're not a Sky subscriber. Kick-off times for afternoon IPL fixtures typically fall around 14:00 BST, with evening matches starting around 19:30 BST.

Chepauk is a spin-friendly surface with an average first-innings score of 192 across 127 T20 matches. The powerplay average is 43 runs, and the death-overs average is 38. Teams batting second win the chase around 46% of the time, making it a reasonably balanced venue despite its reputation for assisting slow bowlers.

Yes. Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to field first. That decision proved correct as Mumbai Indians fell to 155/9, and CSK chased the target down with 4 wickets to spare.

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