IPL 2022: 5 best MI vs CSK moments in tournament history
Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the two most successful franchises in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). While MI have won five titles, CSK have four to their credit and are also the defending champions.
The Mumbai-Chennai rivalry is the fiercest in the history of the tournament and is also known as the El Clasico of the IPL. MI and CSK have faced each other 32 times in the Indian Premier League. Mumbai have the edge, having won 19 of these contests while Chennai have been victorious on 13 occasions.
MI and CSK have also met in four IPL finals, with Mumbai winning three of four summit clashes.
MI vs CSK in the IPL - A rivalry for the ages
This season, Mumbai and Chennai will meet in the league stage on April 21 and May 12 at the DY Patil and Wankhede Stadium respectively. As the rivalry gets set to resume, here’s a recap of the five finest MI vs CSK moments in the IPL over the years:
#5 Suresh Raina’s blazing fifty in IPL 2010 final
Suresh Raina scored a brilliant 57* off 35 deliveries in the IPL 2010 final as CSK beat MI by 22 runs.
Chennai won the toss and batted first in the high-pressure game at the DY Patil Stadium. Raina was in superb form, smashing three fours and as many sixes, two of the maximums coming in one over from Kieron Pollard.
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Thanks to the left-hander's innings, CSK posted a challenging total of 168-5 in their allotted twenty overs.
Their bowlers then came up with an impressive all-round effort to restrict Mumbai to 146-9. MI captain Sachin Tendulkar top-scored with 48 but could not find any support. Raina, meanwhile, also chipped in with the ball, trapping Harbhajan Singh lbw for 1.
#4 Harbhajan Singh’s 5-18 in IPL 2011
Representing Mumbai during the 2011 edition, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh ran through CSK’s batting line-up with sensational figures of 5-18. Chennai were set 165 for victory in the league clash at the Wankhede Stadium but were restricted to 156-9, courtest the Turbanator’s brilliance.
Singh first foxed Suresh Raina in the air, having him caught and bowled for 5. He returned towards the end to clean up the lower order. Srikkanth Anirudha (9) holed out to deep midwicket off a full toss, Albie Morkel (3) was bowled through a quicker one, while Ravichandran Ashwin (0) slogged the off-spinner to long-on.
Harbhajan Singh completed a memorable five-fer against his future franchise by having Joginder Sharma (0) caught and bowled with a nicely tossed-up delivery.
#3 Kieron Pollard’s blitz stuns Chennai in IPL 2021
Pollard loves batting against CSK. He was the Player of the Final for his 60* off 32 deliveries as MI beat Chennai to lift their maiden title in 2013. In the 2015 summit clash against the same team, he smashed 36 off only 18 deliveries as MI again got the better of CSK.
Pollard wasn’t in great form during the 2021 edition. However, against Chennai, his batting just seems to elevate itself to another level. In match number 27 of last year’s edition, Mumbai were in all sorts of trouble at 81-3 in a massive chase of 219 in Delhi.
However, Pollard stood up, walloping eight sixes and six fours in his unbeaten 87 off 34 deliveries. The West Indian dasher kept finding the middle of the bat at dangerously regular intervals to hurt Chennai.
The equation came down to 16 off the last over bowled by Lungi Ngidi. Pollard thumped two fours and a six to bring it down to two off the last delivery. He jammed a yorker-length delivery down the ground to scamper two to set off wild celebrations in the MI camp.
#2 MS Dhoni 51* off 20 eliminates MI in IPL 2012
As mentioned earlier, MI have had the wood over CSK over the years. However, in the 2012 Eliminator in Bengaluru, MS Dhoni played a special innings to knock out Mumbai.
Chennai were invited to bat after losing the toss. Coming into bat at No.5, Dhoni slammed an unbeaten 51 off only 20 deliveries.
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The CSK captain hammered six fours and two sixes during his brutal knock. He deposited James Franklin for a 112-metre six over long-on and pulled out the helicopter shot for another maximum off Lasith Malinga over midwicket.
Dhoni’s flourishing willow along with Dwayne Bravo’s cameo (33* off 14) ensured Chennai ended their innings on an impressive 187-5. Their bowlers then came up with an impressive effort, restricting MI to 149-9.
#1 MI’s thrilling 1-run win in IPL 2019 final
In unarguably the most thrilling IPL final to date, Mumbai defeated CSK by a solitary run in 2019 in Hyderabad to clinch their fourth title.
In a low-scoring match, MI batted first and posted a decent total of 149-8. Pollard top-scored with an unbeaten 41 off 25. For CSK, Deepak Chahar claimed three wickets, while Shardul Thakur and Imran Tahir picked up two apiece.
Jasprit Bumrah (2-14) was superb for MI with the ball as CSK found themselves in trouble in their chase. Shane Watson (80 off 59) single-handedly kept them in the hunt with his power-hitting. He smacked Krunal Pandya for three consecutive sixes in the 18th over.
The equation came down to nine off the last over. Lasith Malinga, who had conceded 20 runs in his previous over, was handed the responsibility. Bringing his vast experience to the fore, the Sri Lankan legend bowled brilliant yorkers, conceding only four runs off the first three deliveries.
Watson was run out the next ball trying to go for a non-existent second. With two needed off the last delivery, Thakur (2) missed a slower ball from Malinga and was adjudged lbw as MI clinched the IPL 2019 final by one run in the most dramatic fashion.
Special mention: Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya clobbered an unbeaten 114 off only 48 deliveries for MI against CSK in an IPL 2008 game at the Wankhede Stadium.
With Mumbai chasing 157 for victory, the Sri Lankan legend blasted nine fours and 11 sixes in his smashing innings. MI eventually won the game by nine wickets in 13.5 overs.