IPL: The schedule for the 13th season of the IPL has been announced and the defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on the runners-up Chennai Super Kings in the season opener. The first game will be held on the 29th of March and the league stage will be till the 17th of May.
The final of the 13th season of the biggest T20 league will be held on the 24th of May at the Wankhede Stadium. Talking about the season opener, the first game will set the tone for the IPL. Everybody will agree that there isn’t a better match-up to start the IPL.
There has always been a huge rivalry between these two teams and it will be fun to watch these two teams take on each other in the season opener. Many people have called this game the “El Classico” of the IPL.
Last year, Mumbai Indians had a complete upper hand over the runners-up and it is time that CSK gives them back. These two teams have had some memorable contests and so, let’s have a look at five such games between these two teams.
#5 IPL 2008 – 8th game – CSK won by six runs
CSK – 208/5 (Matthew Hayden – 81 off 46 balls, Musavir Khote – 3-0-29-2)
MI – 202/7 (Abhishek Nayar – 45 off 20 balls, Joginder Sharma – 4-0-29-2)
The first-ever IPL match between MI and CSK took place on the 23rd of April at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. MI won the toss and opted to bowl first on a flat wicket. The two southpaws – Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina scored half-centuries and a quickfire 30 off 16 from the CSK skipper ensured that Chennai crossed the 200-run mark.
Chasing 209, MI lost some early wickets but some explosive batting from the youngsters like Robin Uthappa and Abhishek Nayar kept them in the game. Nayar smashed 45 off 20 balls and remained unbeaten but still, his team fell six runs short of the target. The 2007 T20 World Cup hero – Joginder Sharma was brilliant with the ball as he picked up two wickets for just 29 runs.
This game turned out to be just the starter as the main course of the rivalry has continued till now!
#4 IPL 2018 – 1st game – CSK won by one wicket
MI – 165/4 (Suryakumar Yadav – 43 off 29, Shane Watson – 4-0-29-2)
CSK – 169/0 (Dwayne Bravo – 68 off 30 balls, Mayank Markande – 4-0-23-3)
This game marked the return of the Chennai Super Kings. CSK who was banned for two years was making a comeback and their first game was with their arch-rivals Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. CSK won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Decent contributions from Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Krunal Pandya helped MI reach a total of 165-4 in their 20 overs. Chasing 166, CSK were reduced to 84-6 with Markande and Hardik Pandya picking up three apiece.
Dwayne Bravo who hadn’t done much with the bat in the last couple of seasons came out and smashed a 68 off 30 to turn the tide in CSK’s favor. Kedar Jadhav who was injured came out to bat when Bravo was dismissed. With only one leg, Jadhav hit a six and a four in the last over to seal the deal for CSK.
This game will be remembered as one of the better games between these two teams.
#3 IPL 2010 – Final – CSK won by 22 runs
CSK – 168/5 (Suresh Raina – 57* off 35, Dilhara Fernando – 4-0-23-2)
MI – 146/9 (Sachin Tendulkar – 48 off 45, Shadab Jakati – 3-0-26-2)
This was the first time Mumbai Indians entered the finals of the IPL. CSK won the toss and opted to bat first at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. Suresh Raina’s half-century helped the Chennai Super Kings to reach a formidable total of 168 in the final.
Chasing 169, MI was off to a slow start as Ashwin bowled a maiden first over. Tendulkar and Nayar scored a few but the turning point came when Kieron Pollard arrived at the crease. The West Indian hard-hitter smacked 27 off just 10 balls and at one point it seems as if he will take his team home, but a clever move from the captain cool MS Dhoni sealed the deal as Pollard was dismissed caught at a straightish mid-off.
Once Pollard went back to the pavilion, CSK won the game by 22 runs and won their first-ever IPL. This game will be remembered for MS Dhoni’s captaincy as he got the wicket of Pollard with some clever field placing.
#2 IPL 2012 – MI won by 2 wickets
Image source: BCCI
CSK – 173/8 (Murali Vijay – 43 off 29, Lasith Malinga – 4-0-25-3)
MI – 174/8 (Sachin Tendulkar 74 off 44, Ravindra Jadeja 2-0-12-2)
Both these two teams met on a Sunday afternoon in a cracking contest at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to bowl first. Contributions from most of the CSK batsmen helped them reach 173-8 in the designate 20 overs.
Chasing 174, Sachin Tendulkar’s 74 off 44 and Rohit Sharma’s 60 off 46 set the game up for Mumbai Indians but the game changed suddenly as they lost wickets in heap. Dwayne Smith who played for CSK, later on in his IPL career came out to bat at No.5 and smashed 24 off 9 balls to win it for Mumbai Indians.
He smashed 8 off the last couple of balls against Ben Hilfenhaus to seal the deal for his team. People at the Wankhede stadium went crazy because there was a point where it seemed as if Mumbai will lose the game. This will be remembered for Dwayne Smith’s heroics as he, later on, went to play for the rival team.
#1 IPL 2019 Final – MI won by one run
MI – 149-8 (Kieron Pollard – 41 off 25, Deepak Chahar – 4-1-26-3)
CSK – 148-7 (Shane Watson – 80 off 59, Jasprit Bumrah – 4-0-14-2)
After facing each other in the first qualifier one, both these teams had set up yet another date in the final with CSK defeating DC in the second qualifier. This was going to be the fourth IPL final between these two teams.
CSK were the defending champions whereas, MI were favorites because off the odd-year phenomenon. MI won the toss and opted to bat first, on a slightly slow wicket. They somehow managed to score 149 which seemed to be a below-par score on that wicket.
CSK started the chase on a good note but wickets in the middle overs and especially that of MS Dhoni turned the table in MI’s favor. Shane Watson who hadn’t scored runs in the whole season came to the party as he smacked Malinga and Pandya for a lot of runs.
Malinga came into bowl the last over when CSK needed only 9 runs. Unfortunately, Watson got run-out and things became spicy. Thakur was on strike when his team needed 2 off the last ball. Malinga bowled a slower delivery and Thakur failed to connect the bat with the ball and he was adjudged LBW. MI won the final and the fourth title just by one run. This is the most memorable and the most recent IPL game between these two teams.
