MI-CSK rivalry: Can Chennai upstage its longtime nemesis in summit clash?

The fierce rivalry between these two teams went to another level when MI skipper Rohit Sharma compared MI-CSK clash with that of Barcelona and Real Madrid match

Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clash is revered as MI-CSK rivalry, one of the most anticipated clashes in Indian Premier League. The fierce rivalry between these two teams went to another level when MI skipper Rohit Sharma compared MI-CSK rivalry with that of Barcelona and Real Madrid match -- two of the most popular teams in Spanish football league and termed it as El classico. As Mumbai and Chennai are gearing for the IPL final, it will be interesting to see whether MI can beat CSK for the 4th time in IPL 2019 on Sunday. It is also the fourth time that Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will be pitted against each other in an IPL final. As we await IPL’s own El Classico again in the summit clash at Hyderabad, let’s take a look at how Mumbai defeated Chennai in 3 matches this season.

CHECK IPL final (MI vs CSK) LIVE score, match and toss updates here

Follow Chennai Super Kings here

MI vs CSK head to head (IPL and defunt Champions league)

	Total	In Chennai	In Mumbai	Neutral venue
Matches	29	8	12	9
Won by MI	17	6	7	4
Won by CSK	12	2	5	5

 

Rohit Sharma. Photo: PTI

Match 15: MI won by 37 runs at Wankhede Stadium

Mumbai Indians were the first team in IPL 2019 to beat the Super Kings. CSK lost to Mumbai Indians by 33 runs at Wankhede Stadium on May 3, 2019. Chasing a target of 171, none of the Chennai batsmen were able to show resistance except Kedar Jadhav, who played a fighting 58-run knock. For Mumbai, Lasith Malinga and Hardik Pandya rattled the Chennai batting line-up, scalping three wickets each. Chennai started on a poor note, losing openers Ambati Rayudu and Shane Watson cheaply. While Lasith Malinga accounted for Watson (5), Jason Behrendorff sent back Rayudu on a duck. Chennai's most dependable batsman Suresh Raina also couldn't do much in the middle after managing just 16 runs off 15 deliveries. It was Behrendorff who once again struck, giving the third blow to the visiting side, leaving Chennai reeling at 33/3 in 4.5 overs. Jadhav (58 off 54, including eight boundaries and a six) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (12 off 21) then anchored Chennai's inning with a 54-run partnership. However, the skipper couldn't stay for much time in the middle as he fell to Hardik Pandya while trying to accelerate the run-rate. Jadhav tried to keep one end in control but Malinga ended his laborious effort before Chennai lost Ravindra Jadeja (1) and Dwayne Bravo (8) in quick succession as the scorecard read 115/7 in the 18th over.

 
With 56 needed of the last two overs, Chennai's lower middle order couldn't help their side cross the line as Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur could only contribute with 7 and 12 runs respectively. Earlier, despite a slow start, it was Hardik and Keiron Pollard's quick-fire play, which propelled Mumbai Indians to 170/5. While most Chennai bowlers, who maintained a tight economy rate in 18 overs, went profligate in the last two overs as Pollard (17 unbeaten off 7) and Hardik (25 unbeaten off 8) hammered them all around the park to help their team post a fighting total. Check full highlights here

Follow Mumbai Indians here
 

Mumbai Indians. Photo: PTI

Match 44: MI won by 46 runs at Chepauk Stadium
 
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) missed the presence of their regular skipper MS Dhoni as the defending champions had to taste a 46-run defeat against Mumbai Indians on April 26, 2019. This was the 2nd time when MI defeated CSK, who share one of the fiercest rivalry in Indian Premier League. It was the Mumbai bowlers, who came all guns blazing on a slow wicket, to wrap up the home side, who were chasing a modest 156-run target, on a paltry 109 runs. Lasith Malinga starred for the visitors with figures of 4/37, while Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya bagged couple of wickets each. Chennai opener Murli Vijay was the only one to show some resistance as he managed to contribute a 35-ball 38. Chasing the target, Chennai were off to a worst-possible start as Malinga dismissed opener Shane Watson (8) before Hardik Pandya castled Suresh Raina (2), reducing the yellow brigade to 22/2 in 3.1 overs. Vijay tried his best to repair the major damages but lacked support from the other end as incoming batsman Ambati Rayudu also departed without opening his account. Krunal accounted for the wicket of the Chennai stumper. Chennai's middle-order also fell like a pack of cards as they lost Kedar Jadhav (6) and Dhruv Shorey (5) cheaply. Things turned ugly for the hosts when Bumrah picked Vijay in the 12th over, leaving Chennai reeling at 66/6. Suryakumar Yadav took a stunning catch of Vijay at backward point off a Bumrah delivery. Check full highlights here

 

Suryakumar Yadav. Photo: PTI

Qualifier 1: MI won by 6 wickets at Chepauk Stadium
 
The Mumbai based franchise sailed into their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) final as they defeated arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings by six wickets in the first Qualifier of IPL 2019 at MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 7, 2019. Suryakumar top-scored for Mumbai with a crafty 71 off 54 balls not out, his innings was studded with 10 fours. Suryakumar, who was dropped twice, brought up his seventh IPL fifty, and second in IPL 2019, in 37 balls as Mumbai coasted to 132/4 in 18.3 overs. For Chennai, Imran Tahir returned best figures of 2/33. Chasing 132 for victory on a typically slow wicket which is not easy to bat on, Mumbai were reduced to 21/2 in the first four overs. Hardik Pandya was not out at the other end on 13 off 11 balls as Mumbai won with nine balls to spare.Earlier, an unbeaten 66-run stand between M.S. Dhoni (37 not out off 29) and Ambati Rayudu (42 off 37) helped CSK post 131/4. Despite losing their top order for just 65 runs, it was Dhoni and Rayudu who anchored the Chennai innings. For Mumbai, Rahul Chahar starred with the ball with figures of 2/14 from his four overs while Krunal Pandya and Jayant Yadav bagged a wicket each. Check full highlights here