Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host its first IPL 2025 match today, featuring Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders. Mumbai is known for its high-scoring games, so don’t be surprised if this match also turns into a run-fest. Will the pitch assist pacers, or will spinners make an impact? One thing is certain – with the ground being small, fans can expect a flurry of fours and sixes. Before the match begins, let’s take a look at the pitch report for this iconic stadium.
Talking about Wankhede Stadium, a total of 118 IPL matches have been played here. Out of these, teams batting first have won 53 matches, while teams chasing have emerged victorious in 64 games. The average first-innings score at this venue is 170 runs. Pacers have a slight edge here, as the pitch is made of black soil. Around 71% of the wickets go to fast bowlers, while spinners claim about 29% of the dismissals. This suggests that the MI vs KKR match is likely to be a high-scoring one, given the strong batting lineups on both sides. Suryakumar Yadav, in particular, has delivered exceptional performances at this venue.
Mumbai Indians will be eager to end their winless streak this season, while Kolkata Knight Riders will aim to continue their winning momentum. Matches between these two teams at Wankhede have often been intense battles. The pressure will be on MI, as they will be playing their first home game of the season. Last year, under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, MI failed to reach the playoffs. This time, their focus will be on making it to the top four at any cost.