In a solemn tribute to the 26 lives lost in the Pahalgam terror attack, both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians honored the victims with a minute’s silence and symbolic black armbands before the match began.
Hyderabad | April 23, 2025
Cricket paused for a moment of grief as players of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) observed a minute’s silence before their IPL 2025 clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in memory of the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives just a day ago.
As a mark of respect, both teams wore black armbands and refrained from typical pre-match celebrations such as fireworks and cheerleader performances, lending a somber tone to the match that began amid heightened emotions.
Match Context:
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- Toss Update: MI skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bowl first.
- MI Aim: Their fourth straight win.
- SRH Status: A must-win scenario after losing five of their seven matches.
Captains Speak:
Hardik Pandya (MI captain):
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“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam tragedy. We’ll try to stay focused on the game and execute our plans well.”
Pat Cummins (SRH captain):
“It’s heartbreaking for all of us. Our thoughts go out to the families affected. We hope to play positive cricket tonight.”
Pitch Report:
According to Danny Morrison and Matthew Hayden,
- The pitch is dry and hard, ideal for high scoring
- Short boundaries (63m on one side) make it batting-friendly
- A total above 200 is possible, but early overs will be crucial
Playing XIs:
Mumbai Indians:
Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Vignesh Puthur
Impact Subs: Rohit Sharma, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Satyanarayana Raju, Robin Minz
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga
Impact Subs: Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Rahul Chahar, Wiaan Mulder, Mohammed Shami
Notably, Mohammed Shami has been moved to the impact list, with Jaydev Unadkat replacing him in the XI.
Key Battles to Watch:
- Abhishek Sharma vs Jasprit Bumrah – Youth vs Experience
- Travis Head’s comeback – Will he rediscover his early-season form?
- Suryakumar Yadav’s dream run – 333 runs so far, and counting
Match Significance:
- For SRH: A loss could all but end their playoff hopes.
- For MI: A win brings them closer to Top 4 contention.
Tags:
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