Explained: Why a key Mumbai Indians player will miss MI’s opening IPL 2025 match against Chennai Super Kings

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya will miss the team’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season opener against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as part of a match ban he received last year. Owing to multiple slow over-rate violations by the team in IPL 2024, Pandya will face a one-match ban and sit out of MI’s campaign opener.

Pandya was handed a match ban after MI accumulated a third slow-over rate offense. The first instance of a slow over rate leads to the team’s captain paying a penalty of INR 12 lakh, while a second offense leads to the penalty amount doubling up to INR 24 lakh.

In case of a second offense, members of the team, along with the captain, are also expected to face the penalties. While the captain pays a much higher amount, other players, including the impact substitute, must bear a fine of either INR 6 lakh or 25 percent of their match fee, whichever is lesser.

If the team maintain a slow over rate for a third time, the skipper faces a match ban and is expected to sit out of the franchise’s next game. Hardik Pandya-led MI accumulated three over-rate offenses last season, with the third one coming off the five-time champions’ last game of the season.

Apart from a one-match ban, the team’s captain is also handed a fine of INR 30 lakh. On the other hand, other players of the team are fined INR 12 lakh or 50 percent of their match fee, whichever is lesser.

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Mumbai Indians to face Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2025 campaign opener

Two of the finest teams of the IPL- Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings - will face off very early in the IPL 2025 season in what is dubbed as the El Classico of the tournament. The third match of the season will see CSK and MI lock horns at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on March 23 in the second match of the tournament’s first double-header.

The two five-time champions will face off twice this season, with their second encounter scheduled for April 20. The match will be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on a double-header Sunday.