MI vs CSK Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2024 match?
With 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) trophies between them, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) are by far the two most successful teams in the biggest franchise competition in the world.
The rivalry has only intensified in recent years, with Mumbai going through a rough period of transition and Chennai winning two titles in the last three years. Having pulled level with MI, CSK will be keen on edging ahead in what is expected to be MS Dhoni's last season.
This season, the two teams have endured hot-cold campaigns. The Men in Yellow started superbly with two wins on the trot at home before losing a couple on the road to drop to a 50 percent record. They did recover with a win over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but their away form hasn't been particularly convincing.
Meanwhile, MI had the worst possible start to their season as they went winless in their first three games, with even sections of their fans turning against them. However, things seem to be looking up for Hardik Pandya and company, who have notched up wins in their last two games to lift themselves off the bottom of the standings.
Injuries and player unavailabilities have ravaged both teams. While CSK have had to grapple with the absences of Matheesha Pathirana, Deepak Chahar, Ajinkya Rahane, and Mustafizur Rahman at different stages of the last few matches, MI were without batting lynchpin Suryakumar Yadav during their losing streak at the start.
Head-to-head records don't mean much when two quality teams like MI and CSK face off. Even recent form isn't that significant, since both sets of players could have a different level of motivation when facing off against their arch-rivals.
Nevertheless, for what it's worth, Chennai have won four of their last five meetings against Mumbai, and three of those by quite convincing margins.
Can CSK claim their first away victory of IPL 2024? Or will MI keep their winning run going?
IPL 2024, MI vs CSK Win Probability: Hard to pick favorites in blockbuster clash
It's honestly impossible to confidently pick a winner in this clash.
MI's bowling hasn't been at its best this season, barring Jasprit Bumrah. They have one of the worst economy rates at the death, and their powerplay bowling form hasn't been too convincing either. If Mumbai bat first, they might struggle to defend a total.
That said, though, CSK have weaknesses of their own. If Matheesha Pathirana isn't available for selection, their fast bowling could suffer at the hands of Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and company. The spinners might not have much of a say at the Wankhede Stadium either.
The smart money would be on the team chasing to pull off a win in this clash. Taking the toss out of the equation and assessing the two sides based on solely their strength on paper and recent form, MI might have a slight edge.
The batting has clicked to a decent extent, with the openers performing and Suryakumar Yadav making a mountain of a difference at No. 3. With a bit of support for Bumrah, the bowling unit could come together as well.
In contrast, CSK have concerns in various departments. Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell haven't been overly convincing in the last few games, while Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn't batted with the requisite intent at the top of the order.
A contest between two strong sides is never easy to predict, but Mumbai could be the slight favorites on Sunday. It's worth reiterating, however, that the winner is expected to be the chasing team.
Prediction: MI to win Match 29 of IPL 2024.