Ravichandran Ashwin Raises Eyebrows with Match-Fixing Remarks on Mumbai Indians

Ashwin's Controversial Comments

Ravichandran Ashwin has sparked controversy by suggesting that the Mumbai Indians (MI) may have been involved in match-fixing following their IPL 2025 Eliminator against the Gujarat Titans (GT). The former captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS) recalled a particular match against MI that raised his suspicions. On his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, he remarked,

“I've noticed this before. Back in 2018, during a match between Punjab and Mumbai, I was leading Punjab. At that time, Mumbai was struggling at 80 for 5 after 13 overs. Suddenly, the floodlights went out,”

“which led to a 20-minute interruption. When play resumed, Kieron Pollard made a remarkable comeback, and Mumbai ended up scoring around 200 runs.”

Ashwin's Performance This Season

Ashwin's Struggles in IPL 2025

Chennai Super Kings acquired Ashwin for ₹9.75 crores for IPL 2025, but he has faced challenges this season, managing only seven wickets in nine matches with an average exceeding 40 and conceding 9.12 runs per over. This marks the first time the Chennai Super Kings find themselves at the bottom of the league standings.

Reflecting on the MI vs GT match, Ashwin recalled the 2018 game where a 20-minute delay due to the floodlights going out seemed to favor Mumbai. After the break, Mumbai's performance improved significantly, particularly with Pollard's contributions.

“I wondered how such a situation arises. A break like that seems to benefit the Mumbai Indians. Luck plays a role, but they seem to have an abundance of it. I can't quite grasp how it works in their favor.”

Mumbai Indians Advance to Qualifier 2

MI Secures Spot in Qualifier 2

The Mumbai Indians have successfully advanced to the second qualifier, where they will compete against the Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In a thrilling match, Mumbai triumphed over Gujarat by 20 runs, with Rohit Sharma scoring 81 runs, leading his team to a formidable total of 228 runs. The Gujarat batters struggled to keep up, with Shubman Gill dismissed early and unable to make a significant impact. Sai Sudarshan attempted to steer his team towards victory but ultimately had to return to the pavilion.