The rivalry between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings has grown immensely in the past decade with both teams trying to go over one another in terms of IPL titles. They are the two most successful teams in the IPL history – MI have won 5 title and CSK 4, a total of 9 title combined in 15 seasons – this has made fans hype up their rivalry as Cricket’s El Classico.
MI have bought teams in both CSA T20 league and UAE ILT20 League
It would then mean that it would be a bit unusual for CSK fans when they see their three players – current or former – not in yellow, but in the MI blue next year in the two newly launched T20 league – Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) T20 League (the name of which is yet to be coined) and UAE’s ILT20 League.
The Relaince Limited company which owns the Mumbai Indians teams bought a team in both these leagues and have named them – MI Cape Town and MI Emirated. The first season of two leagues will be played in January-February with a multitude of T20 superstars from around the globe – except India and Pakistan – will be seen playing.
Here are the 3 CSK players who have joined MI Cape Town and MI Emirates:
Dwayne Bravo
Dwayne Bravo returns to the Mumbai Indians franchsie – the former West Indian all-rounder, who had retired from international cricket last year, will play for the MI Emirates in the ILT20 league next year.
Bravo, though, is also currently a key component of the Chennai Super Kings team in the IPL. Bravo is currently IPL’s all-time leading wicket-taker, having snared 183 wickets, of which 140 have come in the yellow jersey of CSK.
He was part of the MI franchise in the first three seasons of the IPL, before joining CSK in 2011 and has been there since, barring the couple of seasons in 2016 and 2017 when CSK were banned, then Bravo played for Gujarat Lions.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝘿𝙅 𝘽𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙤 is back with #Onefamily after 12 years!
.#MIemirates @EmiratesCricket @DJBravo47 @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/w7N0VQQORP— MI Emirates (@MIEmirates) August 12, 2022
Sam Curran
Sam Curran has gained a lot of love and affection from the CSK fans even though the young English all-rounder has played only one-and-half-a-season for the franchise – in 2020 and then in 2021 he played in the India leg of the tournament but was injured for the UAE leg. He had opted out of the IPL 2022 also due to injury. Overall, Curran has represented CSK in 23 matches and taken 22 wickets while also has played couple of crucial cameos with the bat.
However, now he will also be representing the MI franchise in the CSA T20 league – MI Cape Town as the Ambani-owned franchise roped him in as one of their 5 first picks. Along with Sam Curran, MI Cape Town has signed Rashid Khan, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Dewald Brevis.
Bringing his all-round skills to the
nation! #OneFamily #MIcapetown @OfficialCSA @CurranSM pic.twitter.com/ROjsXx6L4a
— MI Cape Town (@MICapeTown) August 11, 2022
nation! Imran Tahir
Legendary leg-spinner Imran Tahir chose to play in the UAE’s ILT20 league over his own country’s CSA’ T20 League. It must have to do with a better and bigger contract offered to the leg-spinner by the MI Emirates.
Tahir had spent four years at CSK in the IPL – from 2018 to 2021 and picked 35 wickets in 27 matches – before he was released and not picked by any team for IPL 2022. But the leg-spinner has been going strong in other leagues, with impressive performances in the PSL and The Hundred.
Tahir, who won the IPL twice with CSK, will now be seen in the MI Emirates colours in the UAE league next year.
Clear the airspace UAE, @ImranTahirSA is ready to take off!
— MI Emirates (@MIEmirates) August 13, 2022
