MI vs RCB: Who Will Pick Up The Most Wickets In IPL 2025 Match 20?

Sanjay Sen

Hardik Pandya for MI [Source: @RealGoat_45/x.com]Hardik Pandya for MI [Source: @RealGoat_45/x.com]

As Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru prepare to face off at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, all eyes will be on three key bowlers who could make the difference in this high-stakes encounter. Based on historical head-to-head performances, venue statistics, and current form, these three bowlers can emerge as the prime candidates to dominate with the ball.

1. Hardik Pandya (MI)

Mumbai Indians' skipper and all-rounder, Hardik Pandya has already demonstrated his effectiveness with the ball in this tournament. Hardik still remains one of the best finishers in white-ball cricket and has a strike rate of 182.9 in the death overs in the IPL.

  • Current Form: Leading wicket-taker for MI in IPL 2025 with 8 wickets and an impressive economy rate of 6.72, showing his effectiveness across different phases of the game.
  • All-Round Pressure: His dual role as a batsman and bowler gives him unique insights into batsmen's mindsets, which he uses to set up and dismiss aggressive RCB batters like Kohli and Patidar.
  • Middle-Overs Specialist: Particularly effective during the middle overs when batsmen try to accelerate, perfectly positioning him to capitalise on RCB's aggressive batting lineup that often looks to attack in this phase.

2. Josh Hazlewood (RCB)

Josh Hazlewood for RCB [Source: @Cricketracker/x.com]Josh Hazlewood for RCB [Source: @Cricketracker/x.com]

Josh Hazlewood brings pace, swing, and seam movement to Royal Challengers Bengaluru' bowling attack. As one of RCB's premier fast bowlers, he's likely to be among the top wicket-takers in the upcoming contest.

  • New Ball Threat: As RCB's leading wicket-taker with 6 wickets and an economy rate of 7.27 in IPL 2025, his precision with the new ball could trouble MI's top order, particularly against batsmen like Rohit Sharma who prefer pace on the ball.
  • Death Bowling Skills: His ability to hit consistent lengths and incorporate subtle variations makes him deadly in the final overs, exactly when MI's finishers like Hardik Pandya will be looking to accelerate.
  • Bounce Advantage: Can extract extra bounce even on Wankhede's typically true surface, which might surprise batsmen expecting a more consistent trajectory, leading to catches behind the wicket.

3. Vignesh Puthur (MI)

Vignesh Puthur, a left-arm wrist spinner from Kerala, made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians even before playing senior representative cricket for his state. Puthur made a successful step-up to the IPL, dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda on debut in Chennai, and he could trouble RCB batters with his mystery spin in the upcoming game.

  • Surprise Package: With 5 wickets in IPL 2025 but limited historical data, RCB batsmen have less footage to analyse, giving him an element of mystery and unpredictability.
  • Home Conditions Knowledge: As part of the MI setup, would have valuable insights on how to bowl effectively at Wankhede, where knowing the specific areas to target is crucial given the unique dimension of the ground.
  • Pace Variation: His bowling style includes effective changes of pace, which could be particularly troublesome for RCB's power hitters like Tim David and Phil Salt who rely on timing and pace on the ball.