Ruturaj Gaikwad and Kartik Sharma both struck half-centuries as Chennai Super Kings completed a league double over Mumbai Indians with an eight-wicket win at Chepauk on Saturday, May 2. After MI posted 159/7, CSK recovered from early trouble and, with a well-paced chase led by their third-wicket stand, reached 160/2 in 18.1 overs to take the two points.
Key takeaways
- CSK chased down Mumbai Indians’ 159/7, finishing on 160/2 in 18.1 overs for an eight-wicket victory.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad made 67 not out off 48 balls, while Kartik Sharma contributed 54 not out from 40 deliveries.
- For MI, Naman Dhir top-scored with a 57-ball 37, supported by Ryan Rickelton’s 37 off 24.
- Chennai’s Jasprit Bumrah returned figures of 1/20 during the chase after taking out Sanju Samson early.
- MI’s innings surged to 90/2 at the halfway mark but then slowed, ending with a 150+ finish that looked below par.
MI’s Powerplay boost, then a second-innings slowdown
Anshul Kamboj made an early impact by dismissing Will Jacks in just his second delivery. Still, Dhir and Ryan Rickelton quickly steadied the innings, stitching together a 58-run stand in 32 balls to keep the Powerplay productive and ensure MI had a strong platform despite the early loss. Rickelton took the more aggressive route, surviving a run-out scare before targeting Mukesh Choudhary and Prashant Veer, smashing five sixes in total against them.
Rickelton pushed the momentum further, racing to 37 off 23. The breakthrough eventually came when Noor Ahmad found the right rhythm on a pitch offering two-paced bounce, removing the set batter and shifting the pressure back onto MI. By the halfway stage, MI had moved confidently to 90/2, boosted by a brief cameo from Suryakumar Yadav who struck 21 off 12 balls.
However, the innings did not keep its upward climb after that. Dhir tried to hold one end up, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end, causing MI to lose momentum. Tilak Varma’s stay was fleeting, and Noor claimed his second wicket. Hardik Pandya, introduced next, struggled to get going as well.
Dhir did reach a fifty off 34 deliveries and then loosened the shackles with a six immediately after. Yet the timing proved costly: he was dismissed in the same over off Overton, leaving MI’s lower order to add a final flourish that still felt insufficient for the conditions. From 90/2 in the first ten, MI managed only 69/5 thereafter, finishing on 159/7 in their 20 overs.
CSK build the chase with Gaikwad’s control and Urvil’s fireworks
CSK’s chase began with an early setback, with Sanju Samson falling to Jasprit Bumrah in Bumrah’s first over. From there, Gaikwad took charge against Trent Boult, starting the third over with a clean drive and finishing it with a combination of a pull and a legside flick for four and six respectively. Krish Bhagat then replaced Boult in the attack, and Urvil Patel immediately swung momentum back by clearing the ropes with big hits at both ends of the over.
When AM Ghazanfar came into the attack, Patel also helped himself to a six, but the dangerous partnership was eventually broken. Patel was then trapped by a carrom-ball delivery that found his stumps, ending his 24-run cameo at a strike-rate of 200. Even so, CSK closed the Powerplay strongly, reaching 62/2 as they moved into the middle overs with the chase still well under control.
Kartik Sharma and Gaikwad finish it off
Once the 49-run stand ended, Gaikwad anchored the innings while Kartik Sharma looked to add boundaries and occasional big hits to keep the required rate within reach. Their partnership advanced at just over a run-a-ball, enough to stay comfortably aligned with the target.
Gaikwad reached his 34-ball fifty at the start of the 14th over. Shortly after, he struck two boundaries in quick succession—his first scoring burst since the Powerplay—pushing the chase towards the backend where CSK could accelerate. The equation came down to 22 needed from the last four overs when Kartik took on Ghazanfar with a sequence of 4, 0, 6, 0, 4, 0, effectively sealing the two points for his side.
Kartik soon completed his maiden fifty as CSK reached 160/2 in 18.1 overs. The win also helped CSK improve their position, swapping places with Delhi Capitals to move into sixth in the standings.
Next matches for both teams
MI have a quick turnaround, travelling back home for their Monday fixture against the Lucknow Super Giants. CSK, meanwhile, get an extra day before facing Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, May 5.
