The IPL’s blockbuster at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday (April 23) delivered a statement performance from Chennai Super Kings, as they crushed Mumbai Indians by 103 runs to register their biggest victory by margin in the league. Despite the absence of Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni from the playing XI, CSK made the most of their day, posting 207/6 after Sanju Samson’s second century of the season and then dismantling MI’s chase with a combined six-wicket haul from Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmad.
Brief scores
Chennai Super Kings: 207/6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 101* off 54; Ruturaj Gaikwad 22 off 14). Bowling highlights for Mumbai Indians: AM Ghazanfar 2/25, Ashwani Kumar 2/37.
Mumbai Indians: 104 all out in 19 overs (Tilak Varma 37 off 29). Bowling highlights for CSK: Akeal Hosein 4/17, Noor Ahmad 2/24, Anshul Kamboj 1/10. CSK won by 103 runs.
CSK’s win in the Powerplay
Samson’s hundred set the platform, but CSK’s decisive advantage came early with the ball in the Powerplay. Hosein, who had been left out in the previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, struck immediately: he made the ball grip and turn to trap Danish Malewar behind on the first over for a duck.
Mukesh Choudhary then built pressure with a run of dot balls against Quinton de Kock, before the batter played one onto his stumps. In the next phase, Hosein completed the early damage by dismissing Naman Dhir, who tried to swing across the line but could not make contact count.
With Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma kept quiet, MI were restricted to 29/3 at the end of the Powerplay—an outcome that effectively ended their hopes of chasing 208.
How CSK built their total
- Ruturaj Gaikwad took the attack to Hardik Pandya, getting off to a quick start before AM Ghazanfar removed him for 22 in the third over.
- With Ayush Mhatre unavailable, Samson stepped forward and guided CSK beyond 50 by the end of the fourth over.
- Sarfaraz Khan joined the momentum, opening his account with a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah.
- Samson and Sarfaraz continued to target Mitchell Santner, with further boundaries before Sarfaraz fell trying to sweep, bowled in the process.
- Shivam Dube was sent in during the final Powerplay over, and despite the two wickets, CSK reached 73/2—an ideal springboard for the rest of the innings.
A Sanju Samson special
Samson’s knock stood out for timing and variety from the outset. He began with a cover drive off Bumrah in the first over, then mixed in a range of strokes including a dab between short third and backward point, along with multiple pulls that kept the fielders under constant strain.
He played the ball smartly against the bowlers on offer, taking advantage of favourable matchups while also surviving the spells of Bumrah and Ghazanfar—Ghazanfar being the most effective of MI’s options with the ball.
After Dewald Brevis was dismissed and CSK’s batting depth could have been tested, Samson took full control, batting through without ever looking flustered. He reached his fifty off 26 balls, then accelerated again at the death. By the final over, he was striking with purpose, and he finished with a boundary over square leg off the last ball to bring up his hundred.
Even with a number of cameos around him, the innings carried CSK strongly, with the visitors ultimately eyeing a total above 220 at halfway—something Samson ensured they moved toward by the end.
Jasprit Bumrah’s spell and its impact
Bumrah did manage to strike once, dismissing Kartik Sharma off a full toss in a way that echoed a similar moment against MS Dhoni in the corresponding fixture last year. He bowled the first over again in a tight manner, though he conceded 13 in his second as Samson began to find momentum.
Overs 17 and 19 proved especially costly for CSK’s approach, as Bumrah’s yorkers were difficult to hit. Kartik suffered first, being made to pay before his dismissal. Bumrah gave away only two runs in the 17th and 10 in the 19th, with Samson using a ramped shot to a free hit to send the ball toward the fine leg boundary.
Still, Bumrah’s 1/31 was not enough to change the direction of the game, as CSK were able to post 207/6.
Was there any hope for MI chasing 208?
MI’s chase never truly recovered after a shaky start. Choudhary was unexpectedly handed a fourth over in a row, and it produced 16 runs. Noor Ahmad’s opening ball was also punished, skidding short and drifting down leg.
Even with that, MI were still 69/3 at the conclusion of the 10th over and needed to score at close to 14 an over from there to make the target. The contest tilted decisively once Hosein returned and had Tilak playing onto the stumps.
Then Noor delivered the turning point: he dismissed Pandya and Sherfane Rutherford off consecutive deliveries, and Hosein followed through with a wicket of his own. After that, the lower order offered little resistance, and MI were bowled out for 104 with one over remaining.
Shardul Thakur’s unusual appearance with the bat
Mitchell Santner’s excellent catch to remove Kartik Sharma came at a cost, as he landed awkwardly on his shoulder and later iced it in the dressing room. Santner was forced out due to concussion protocols, and Shardul Thakur was brought in as a like-for-like replacement for the remainder of MI’s innings.
That change did not alter MI’s fortunes, as Thakur finished with a quick cameo of 6 runs off 12 balls.
What happens next
Mumbai Indians now get a five-day break at home before they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday (April 29). CSK, meanwhile, return to their home venue and play Gujarat Titans after a much shorter turnaround, with the match scheduled for Sunday (April 26).
