🏏IPL 2024 ~ Match N 29 MI vs CSK at Wankhede @7.30 PM IST🏏

🏏IPL 2024 ~ Match N 29 

MI vs CSK at Wankhede 

@7.30 PM IST🏏

The highly anticipated clash between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is set to take place on Sunday, April 14, 2024, at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This match, the 29th of the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the most successful franchises in the tournament’s history.

Both teams enter this match on the heels of heartbreaking defeats, determined to reclaim their momentum and climb up the points table. 

After a slow start to the season, the Mumbai Indians have regained their winning momentum, securing victories in their previous two matches. With three wins and two losses, the team currently occupies the seventh spot in the points table. However, the Mumbai Indians will be determined to continue their winning streak and improve their position in the standings.

On the other hand, the Chennai Super Kings have maintained a consistent performance, winning three out of their five matches so far. Currently placed fourth in the points table, the defending champions will be eager to extend their winning momentum and solidify their position in the top half of the table.

The previous meeting between these two titans took place in match 49 of the IPL 2023, where the Mumbai Indians posted a below-par score of 139/8. The Chennai Super Kings comfortably chased down the target, courtesy of Dewon Conway’s 44 runs off 42 balls and an outstanding bowling performance led by Matheesha Pathirana’s three-wicket haul. The Super Kings emerged victorious by six wickets, showcasing their dominance over their rivals.

The Mumbai Indians will be playing their fourth consecutive match at home, while the Chennai Super Kings will be on the road for their third away game. The tournament so far has been dominated by home teams, giving the Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians a psychological advantage against the defending champions.

On paper, there is little to separate the two teams, but both sides have slight concerns heading into this crucial encounter. The Mumbai Indians’ bowling has looked ordinary at times, with Jasprit Bumrahlacking consistent support from the other end. For the Chennai Super Kings, the top order has been inconsistent, and the team has heavily relied on the performance of Shivam Dube.

Both teams are aware that they cannot afford to drop more points early in the tournament, and they will have to give their best to emerge victorious. Previous matches between these two teams have delivered some thrilling battles, and the same can be expected when the two most successful IPL teams lock horns on Sunday.

Big picture

It's the IPL's biggest rivalry. At the Wankhede Stadium. On a double-header Sunday. But has the rivalry mellowed down this time? Possibly because it's the first time in over a decade the CSK-Mumbai game will not witness Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni as captains, as Hardik Pandya and Ruturaj Gaikwad have taken over at the helm. So, what's in store in this new era?

Two away games and two losses. It's a small sample size, but CSK are yet to post a win away from home in this IPL. After winning three out of five games, they now go on the road - the first stop is Mumbai and then Lucknow - before going back to Chepauk after 15 days. Can they be at home, away from home, when they meet a strong host?

Mumbai, though, registered two wins in a row after succumbing to three straight defeats. The turnaround was possible due to their strong batting performances. Their top six batters strike at more than 147 each and this firepower reflected in their scores of 234 for 5 and 199 for 3 in their last two games, which were played at the Wankhede Stadium. With Suryakumar Yadav finding his feet sooner than later with a 19-ball 52 in his second game after returning from injury, Mumbai's line-up is looking solid again.

However, the same cannot be said of the bowling group. Barring Jasprit Bumrah, Mumbai's bowlers have been guilty of going for plenty of runs. They have been expensive at the death, especially, going at 12.31 runs an over - the third-most runs leaked by any team thus far in this IPL (before the Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals game on Saturday).

CSK would also want to tighten their bowling. In their two away losses in Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad, their bowlers struggled for early wickets. There's still uncertainty surrounding their pace mainstay Matheesha Pathirana's participation. Against a dangerous Mumbai side on a seam-friendly surface, CSK will be expecting the likes of Mustafizur Rahman and Deepak Chahar to do the bulk of damage.

Team news and Impact Player strategy

Mumbai Indians

Mumbai opted to bring in Shreyas Gopal as the like-for-like replacement for Piyush Chawla in their last game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. A fit and firing Suryakumar could be used as an Impact Player, swapping for fast bowler Akash Madhwal.

Likely XII: 1 Ishan Kishan (wk), 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Suryakumar Yadav, 4 Hardik Pandya (capt), 5 Tilak Varma, 6 Tim David, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Shreyas Gopal, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Gerald Coetzee, 12 Akash Madhwal

Chennai Super Kings

Matheesha Pathirana did some bowling before CSK's previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders at home but didn't feature as a precautionary measure. Coach Stephen Fleming is hopeful of having his death-bowling specialist back for Sunday's game or next Friday's clash against Luckow Super Giants. While Mustafizur, who had to leave for home to work on getting a US visa, returned to the XI at Chepauk, Chahar had missed that match with a niggle. He might return to the team against Mumbai, if he's fit.

Likely XII: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sameer Rizvi, 8 MS Dhoni (wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Matheesha Pathirana/Maheesh Theekshana, 12 Mustafizur Rahman

In the spotlight - Bumrah and Chahar

Jasprit Bumrah is fresh off a five-wicket haul against RCB and has been phenomenal in containing the batters. He is the only Mumbai player to have an economy rate under six this IPL and he has claimed seven of his ten wickets in three innings at the Wankhede, at a stunning economy rate of 5.75. In an otherwise misfiring bowling unit, Mumbai will once again rely on Bumrah, the most experienced fast bowler in the attack, to keep CSK quiet, especially at the death.

For CSK, how Deepak Chahar performs in the powerplay will be key to their success. At the Wankhede, he has fared well in the first six overs, picking up ten wickets in ten games at an economy rate of 7.59. Chahar is also the only player who hasn't played for Mumbai Indians to have taken wickets in double digits in this phase at Wankhede. With four wickets in four matches this season, can Chahar step up against the likes of Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav?

Stats that matter

• Shivam Dube's IPL strike rate is as low as 111.97 at the Wankhede, his home ground in domestic cricket.

• CSK have the third-best death-overs economy rate (9.85) in IPL 2024 so far, with Mumbai at 12.31, the third-worst in the same phase.

• Mumbai have bowled a total of 173 dot balls, the second-fewest for a team this season.

• Kishan's strike rate this IPL is 182.95 so far, his best in any IPL season.

Pitch and conditions

In the last match, Hardik Pandya termed the venue as a "chasing ground" - two of the three matches in this IPL were won by the teams batting second. After a low-scoring opening game in which Rajasthan Royals chased down 126, Wankhede has been a batting paradise, with a total of 834 runs hit in the next two games. One can expect another high-scoring match on Sunday. The surface has also assisted pacers traditionally.

MI😍😍

Originally posted by: WildestDreams

Chennai Super Kings

Matheesha Pathirana did some bowling before CSK's previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders at home but didn't feature as a precautionary measure. Coach Stephen Fleming is hopeful of having his death-bowling specialist back for Sunday's game or next Friday's clash against Luckow Super Giants. While Mustafizur, who had to leave for home to work on getting a US visa, returned to the XI at Chepauk, Chahar had missed that match with a niggle. He might return to the team against Mumbai, if he's fit.

Likely XII: 1 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Shivam Dube, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Sameer Rizvi, 8 MS Dhoni (wk), 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Matheesha Pathirana/Maheesh Theekshana, 12 Mustafizur Rahman

I think for flat pitches like Wankhede its better to play Paathirana if he’s fit. For Chepuk pitches, Fizz is more suitable