Picking a combined Men-Women MI playing XI ahead of the 2025 season ft. Harmanpreet Kaur, Jasprit Bumrah

One of the most successful teams in the history of franchise cricket, Mumbai Indians have not only won the Indian Premier League (IPL) five times but also the inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in 2023. It shows the pedigree of the franchise in both competitions.

Mumbai Indians won their inaugural IPL championship in 2013 and there has been no looking back since then. The performances have gone from strength to strength as they managed to win five titles in just eight years.

The scouting group keeps an eye on players from around the world and fast-tracks them into the MI family. It's the culture they have created within the franchise that makes them the most successful IPL franchise along with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). They last won the IPL title in 2020 but the squad always remains one of the strongest in the competition.

Meanwhile, the third edition of the WPL will also kick off from February 14 and the inaugural champions will hope to replicate their heroics from 2023. They have a well-oiled unit and will start the competition as the favorites.

With the WPL and IPL slated to be played over the next few months, we have formed a combined men-women playing XI ahead of the 2025 season. Here is the combined XI:

Openers- Rohit Sharma and Yastika Bhatia

Rohit Sharma during the 2024 IPL.- Source: Getty

One of the most destructive batters of the modern generation, Rohit Sharma would walk into this combined XI. Given his history of winning five IPL titles for the Mumbai Indians, he could also end up captaining the side. He is one of the leading run scorers in IPL history and will hope to make a significant impact in the upcoming edition of the IPL.

Rohit will be partnered by the stylish, young left-handed batter Yastika Bhatia, who will also keep wickets for the combined XI. She is an exciting young player with a conventional technique but scores at a brisk pace. Yastika has a strike rate of 116.43 in the WPL and has scored 418 in 18 matches.

Middle order and all-rounders- Hayley Matthews, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hardik Pandya, Natalie Sciver-Brunt

Hayley Matthews will look to continue her great form in the WPL. Source: Getty

Hayley Matthews is one of the finest all-rounders in women’s cricket. Generally, she opens the innings but in this combined XI, she might be forced to bat one slot down the order. Matthews, on her day, can be a lethal ball striker and give four overs to her captain. She will be one of the linchpins of the MI squad in the upcoming WPL.

Suryakumar Yadav hasn't been in the greatest of form in the recent past. Since being elevated as the captain of the Indian T20I side, Surya hasn't been at his consistent best. However, he remains one of the finest T20 batters with the ability to massacre any top-quality bowling attack.

Tilak Varma has become an integral member of the Indian T20 side.- Source: Getty

Tilak Varma made a name for himself while plying his trade for the Mumbai Indians. It was his consistency for the franchise that eventually led to Tilak’s selection in the Indian T20I team. He can mold his game according to the situation, as evident during the recently played second T20I against England, where he scored 72* and helped India win by two wickets.

Tilak has already scored two centuries for the Men in Blue and will be a vital cog for the five-time champions in the upcoming IPL.

Harmanpreet Kaur generally bats in the top half of the batting line-up but to accommodate the other batters, she will bat a bit lower down the order in this team. Harmanpreet is one of the most destructive batters in women’s cricket and can also chip in with some crucial overs when required.

Hardik Pandya is the current captain of the Mumbai Indians. Source: Getty

Hardik Pandya, the current MI captain will walk into this playing XI based on his exceptional all-round abilities. He can bat anywhere in the line-up and can play according to the situation. Hardik can chip in with four overs when required and can be a handy option in the death as well. He is also one of the finest modern-day fielders.

Natalie Sciver-Brunt lends the much-needed balance to whichever side she plays for. The English all-rounder generally bats at the top and in the middle order but she might not get a chance higher up the order in this combined XI. Sciver-Brunt is a powerful striker of the ball and a match-winner with the ball.

# Bowlers- Shabnim Ismail, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah

South African pace sensation Shabnim Ismail might have retired from international cricket but she is still one of the fastest bowlers in women’s cricket. She is a skiddy customer and can hurry opposition batters consistently. She has a good bumper up her sleeve and will be an integral member of the MI setup in the upcoming WPL.

The year 2025 will see the return of Trent Boult in MI colors. The left-arm pacer remains one of the finest exponents of swing bowling, especially with the new ball. His consistency in the recently concluded SA20 showed his class and ability even after his retirement from international cricket.

Bumrah is arguably the greatest all-format bowler. Source: Getty

Perhaps the first name in the combined XI will be Jasprit Bumrah, who is arguably the greatest modern-day bowler across formats. Be it Tests, ODIs, or T20Is, Bumrah has been a sensation for India and the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Whether it is the new ball or the old ball, Bumrah can make the ball talk and will be the leader of this combined XI.