IPL 2021, MI vs RCB: MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch history and stats
MA Chidambaram Stadium will play host to the IPL 2021 season opener. However, the match will not feature the home team Chennai Super Kings.
Chepauk will host a match between the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 9.
Both teams play most of their matches at batsman-friendly venues. However, this year they will face off in spin-friendly conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The skies will be clear in Chennai during the match time on Friday, and the temperature is expected to be 29 degrees Celsius.
Click here for the MI vs RCB scoreboard.
Here are some significant numbers you need to know from previous IPL matches played at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
T20 matches played: 82
Matches won by teams batting first: 47
Matches won by teams batting second: 33
Highest 1st innings score: 246/5 - Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, 2010
Lowest 1st innings score: 70 - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings, 2019
Highest successful run chase: 208/5 - Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 2012
Average 1st innings score: 160
MI beat RCB in their previous meeting at MA Chidambaram Stadium
The venue hosted a battle between MI and RCB back in 2011. It was the summit clash of the Champions League T20 2011 tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Yuzvendra Chahal and Virat Kohli were the four current RCB and MI players who were a part of that contest.
Chahal, who is now an RCB player, bowled a match-winning spell of 2/9 for MI in the CLT20 2011 Final.
MI skipper Harbhajan Singh won the toss and elected to bat. James Franklin's 41 guided Mumbai to a 139-run score. Chasing 140, RCB lost Chris Gayle and TM Dilshan cheaply. Even Virat Kohli could not contribute much.
Abu Nechim, Lasith Malinga and Chahal ran through the RCB middle-order to give the Mumbai Indians a 31-run victory.
It will be interesting to see what happens when the two franchises clash at MA Chidambaram Stadium after almost ten years.