CSK vs MI : Three epic IPL matches
The rivalry of Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is arguably the biggest rivalry in the history of T20 league cricket. Both the teams are a part of the Indian Premier League and are best known for the dominance displayed by them throughout the league. The battle of the two teams possesses a huge fan following and is regarded as one of the best battles in the history of IPL.
The fanbase of this super-Indian derby is largely due to the fact that the two teams are the two of the most successful franchises of the tournament. Whenever both the teams take on each other, a nail-biting contest is highly expected as they both contain some star players who can single-handedly change the fate of the game.
Mumbai and Chennai are also two most successful teams of IPL as both the teams have lifted the IPL title thrice which is the joint highest. When we talk about the head-to-head statistics, MI gets an edge since they have won 14 out of the total 26 times, the teams have locked horns. Howbeit, the other side of the coin also tells us that majority number of matches have been played at MI's home ground which has given them the home advantage for quite a few times.
Widely regarded as the El Classico of IPL, the rivalry has been entertaining the fans and spectators right since the inaugural season. Here are some of the best encounters between CSK and MI.
#3 CSK won by 1 wicket - April 7, 2018
The inaugural match of the 11th edition of IPL is regarded as one of the greatest games in the history of Indian Premier League. It was the encounter where the defending champions Mumbai Indians took on the Chennai Super Kings, who were returning after a ban of 2 years.
The game took place at the mighty Wankhede where the visitors Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to field first. The game initially seemed to be a one-sided encounter when Mumbai Indians were restricted on the score of a minimal 165. Considering the Wankhede Stadium as a batting track, the target seemed to be a bit too less for Chennai but the tables turned when the MS Dhoni-led team messed it up big time in the run chase.
No batsmen from the yellow army could farm the strike and the visitors were 8 down at the score of just 118 runs in the 17th over. The Super Kings now needed 47 runs in the last 3 overs and star death bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mustafizur Rahman still had their overs left.
Dwayne Bravo, who was the only batsman left, had no other option but to go hard. The Caribbean started a blitz from there and scored 33 runs in the next 11 balls. Bravo was albeit given out on the last ball of the second last over, but the 35-year old had left only 7 runs for the last over. An injured Kedar Jadhav came in and scored a six and a four in successive balls and took his team past the line and earned them a 1 wicket victory.