Mumbai, Apr 20: Living up to the saying that big players perform their best on the biggest stage, Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja struck crucial half-centuries to help Chennai Super Kings post 176/5 in 20 overs in the El Clasico clash against Mumbai Indians in Match 38 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday.

With the stadium jam-packed for the biggest clash of the IPL 2025 season, even though both hosts, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, are plumbing the bottom of the points table.

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.

Though young bowler Ashwani Kumar was taken to the cleaners by debutant Ayush Mhatre (32 off 15 balls), 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 a bit. Jasprit Bumrah claimed 2-25 in his four overs, including the key wickets of Shivam Dube and skipper MS Dhoni (4) to finish as the most successful of the Mumbai bowlers.

Coming back to his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, proved the right tonic for Shivam Dube, who represents Mumbai in the domestic circuit. 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.

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. 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 that push it needed.

Dube took over after that as he started cautiously in the company of Jadeja and then smashed Ashwani Kumar for back-to-back sixes, one of which was parried over the ropes by Bumrah, in the 16th over in a big over for CSK as Jadeja too helped himself for a big six. Dube had earlier Trent Boult for the biggest six of the day and also blasted a six over deep midwicket off Hardik Pandya.

Jadeja's knock was in total contrast to his as he ran hard, converting ones into twos and then blasted 16 runs off the final over bowled by Trent Boult to complete his fifty in the process.

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) against Mumbai Indians

--IANS

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