HIGHLIGHTS Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Match 44 - Result, Scorecard

We are back for the chase! The MI players spread across the field and take their spots. Sanju Samson walks along with Ruturaj Gaikwad to open for CSK. Trent Boult has the new ball and is raring to go. A slip is in place for Samson who will face the first ball. Here we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ...

CSK fight back strong to seize control - Chennai Super Kings will be really pleased with their bowling effort, even if it could have been better had Shivam Dube held on to Naman Dhir when he was on just 19. They were a bit inconsistent in the first half, but once debutant Ramakrishna Ghosh removed Suryakumar Yadav, they tightened the screws and took control. Noor Ahmad was excellent as usual through the middle with 2/25, while Anshul Kamboj once again stood out with a three-fer. Mukesh Choudhary impressed with the new ball despite going wicketless, and Jamie Overton’s fiery 1/23 was the perfect finishing touch to a superb comeback in the latter half of the innings. Now, it's up to the batters to finish the job, not just for the two points, but to complete a double over their rivals. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

A quick chat - Jamie Overton says that the wicket looked a bit two-paced as some balls went through nicely, but some of them stayed low too. Mentions that they have somewhat figured out how their bowling unit needs to go about their business. He says Mukesh is swinging it up top, and that Anshul Kamboj has been phenomenal for them this season, bowling two at the top and two at the end and picking up wickets. He adds that Noor, through the middle, has been excellent as well. He calls him (Noor) one of the best spinners in the world and says it is nice to have him in their side. On being asked about bowling pace on deliveries in the death rather than pace off, Overton says that is what has worked for him so far and that he will keep doing what he is doing until he gets hit off that length. He admits he probably bowled a little too short in the last over but got away with it, and says he will stick to his plan. On being asked what will be key for the CSK batters in the run chase, Overton says they just need to play some good cricket, be smart, and try to put the opposition under pressure, as he believes 160 should be a chaseable score.

MI scrap their way to a modest total - Despite losing Will Jacks early, Mumbai Indians stayed in the contest with a steady 58-run stand between Ryan Rickelton and Naman Dhir before the former departed. Suryakumar Yadav looked in good touch but couldn’t convert his start, while Dhir kept losing partners at the other end with little support from the rest, preventing any meaningful partnerships from developing. Dhir brought up a well-made fifty but fell while trying to accelerate, and Hardik Pandya never quite found his rhythm during his stay. MI even needed a six from Trent Boult at the very end just to get close to the 160-run mark.

Chennai hold the edge at the break - It’s been a gripping battle between bat and ball, but it’s the Men in Yellow who walk off at the break with the edge. Mumbai Indians chose to bat and would have wanted more, but credit to Chennai for keeping things tight, especially at the death, where they gave away just 39 runs in the last five overs. The total might not be imposing and MI’s season is on the line, but they've built a reputation for defending tricky scores, and in a do-or-die clash, don’t rule out something special just yet.

Anshul Kamboj to Krish Bhagat, From around the stump, Kamboj nails the wide yorker, outside off, Krish Bhagat fails to carve it away and gets beaten on the outside edge. Samson collects the ball and lobs an underarm throw to the bowler, seeing Krish struggling to complete the bye. Anshul collects the ball and releases the throw, but ends up hitting Bhagat instead, who runs to the danger end and comes in the way of the throw, and the ball rolls away. Excellent finish from Kamboj and CSK. Anshul Kamboj finishes off with superb bowling figures, reading 4-0-32-3. Mumbai Indians finish at 159/7.

Anshul Kamboj to Trent Boult, Full toss, on middle, sliced wide of short third for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Trent Boult, SIX! Oh, hello? Into the slot, on middle and leg. Trent Boult clears the front leg out of the way and launches it cleanly over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. Free-flowing bat swing from the Kiwi.

Trent Boult walks out to bat now.

Anshul Kamboj to Hardik Pandya, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Hardik's struggles come to an end. Perhaps this is the first ball that he timed well and picked the fielder instead. Kamboj gets his third wicket and is now level with Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the Purple Cap race with 17 wickets. Length ball around middle and leg. Pandya goes deep in his crease and looks to lift it down the ground, but gets more height than distance on it and Brevis at deep mid-wicket settles underneath it and takes a comfortable catch. MI are 151/7, 3 balls left.

Anshul Kamboj to Hardik Pandya, Too full and wide, outside off, from around the stump. Hardik carves it to long off but denies the single.

Anshul Kamboj to Hardik Pandya, WIDE! Sprays it down leg, on a fuller length. Hardik gets inside the line and leaves.

Anshul Kamboj to Hardik Pandya, FOUR! Misfield from Noor. Around the wicket, 137.7 kph. Full at the pads from Kamboj. Pandya stays deep in his crease and clips it in front of square on the leg side. Noor at deep square leg runs to his left, dives, but fumbles it and the ball races away for four. 150 UP FOR MUMBAI INDIANS!

Can Anshul Kamboj keep MI under 160 here?

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Back of a length, angled into the pads. Pandya flicks it aerially but Mukesh at deep backward square leg has to come forward and it falls just short and spins the other way but Mukesh does well to stop it by getting down. Single taken, and Hardik keeps the strike. Superb spell from Kamboj comes to an end.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Slow and wide, full in length. Hardik smashes it to the left of the cover fielder. Noor dives to his left, but half stops and the deep backward point fielder cuts it off to his right. Two taken.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Hard length delivery around off, 142.5 kph, pitching and climbing sharply. Pandya slashes hard and is beaten, through to the keeper.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Oh, goodness! This is a hostile delivery from Overton. Huge nip-backer on a good length, with extra bounce on middle. Hardik Pandya is rushed on the back foot and tries to defend it down, but gets cramped for room and just manages to stab it down off the splice.

Jamie Overton to Krish Bhagat, Around off, on a good length, Krish steers it off the back foot, through cover and backward point for a single.

Jamie Overton to Krish Bhagat, Hits the hard length, does Jamie and gets a good lift as well, on top of leg. Krish Bhagat backs away and tries to pull, but misses. And the ball whistles close to his helmet and Samson gathers it behind.

Anshul Kamboj to Krish Bhagat, Full and straight on middle, Bhagat works it to long on for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Hardik Pandya, Tries the yorker, but slips in a low full toss that tails back in. Hardik's head falls over as he clears his front leg but manages to drill it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Krish Bhagat, Fuller on middle and leg, driven off the front foot, through the vacant mid on region for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Krish Bhagat, Nagging length, at the pads. Krish dinks it to mid-wicket.

The next batter in is Krish Bhagat.

Anshul Kamboj to Robin Minz, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Wicket number 2 for Kamboj. This is bashed into the surface, on a length, angling just outside off. Robin Minz stands tall and tries to punch it with an angled bat to the off side, through covers, but gets a fat inside edge and the ball crashes back into the stumps. Mumbai Indians are 139/6 and under tremendous pressure now.

Looks like Anshul Kamboj is suffering from cramps. The physio comes in and gives him some pickle juice and water to get rid of it. We are good to resume now.

Anshul Kamboj to Robin Minz, FOUR! Fine shot! Pitched up and just outside off. Robin Minz crouches low on one knee, extends his arms to reach out for it and carves it over extra covers for a boundary.

With Noor Ahmad finished with his spell, there will be a change from the other end. Anshul Kamboj (2-0-13-1) replaces the Afghan.

Jamie Overton to Robin Minz, Edgy! Fuller and around off, angling away, Robin Minz looks to drive it on the up but gets a thick outside edge towards third man for a run.

Out goes Naman Dhir, in comes Robin Minz.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, OUT! TAKEN SPECTACULARLY! Sarfaraz Khan takes a fine catch and Overton has the reward for bowling a disciplined spell so far. Slower ball, full around middle. 123.8 kph. Dhir backs away, looking for room, but is deceived by the change of pace from Overton. He is through the shot far too early as he drives at it through the covers. Slices it uppishly, and Sarfaraz at extra cover moves swiftly to his left, times his leap well and takes a fantastic catch. Mumbai Indians are 134/5.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, SIX! Easy pickings! Fuller ball angled at the leg stump. Naman Dhir crouches a bit, brings his wrists to play and whips it up and over long leg for a six.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Too full on middle and leg, heaved off the inner half to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, Hard length around leg. Dhir looks to pull but gets it off the gloves, and it rolls away towards short fine leg for a single.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, Sharp bouncer, closer to the off pole, takes off a bit. It takes Dhir by surprise and hurries him into the pull shot. Dhir gets a bit of an outside edge and Samson fails to gather it cleanly to his left, parrying the ball to the short fine leg region. Two taken. It is given as runs and that will be FIFTY FOR NAMAN DHIR! However, UltraEdge later on shows there was no bat involved, as the ball went well above the bat. So, it wasn't a dropped chance from Samson.

Strategic Break! Chennai Super Kings have done really well to pull things back in the last few overs. They have kept the runs in check and also picked up wickets, but now they know that they need to execute their plans at the death as well. Hardik Pandya has not looked settled, but he has one of the best strike rates in overs 16-20 in this format and can flip the game on his own. Naman Dhir is set and nearing a half-century, but he will also need to be aggressive in this phase to take MI to a good total. Also, Jamie Overton to bowl after the break.

Noor Ahmad to Hardik Pandya, Quicker and into the pitch, just outside off. Hardik Pandya punches it out into the off side but fails to get it past covers. Noor finishes a brilliant spell with figures of 4-0-26-2.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Short again, bowled into the deck and outside off. Naman Dhir fetches the ball and swats it across to deep mid-wicket for just one more.

Noor Ahmad to Hardik Pandya, Noor takes a leaf out of Krunal Pandya's book now. Attempted bumper over middle, flat-batted down to long on for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Hardik Pandya, No problem there. Floated up on a nagging length, just outside off. Hardik Pandya goes for the booming drive but the ball bounces a bit more and goes past the outside edge. Sanju Samson is quick to dislodge the bails and there's half an appeal for a stumping. The third umpire has a look at it and checks UltraEdge first. There's no bat involved and then replays show that Pandya had his back leg planted inside the popping crease at all times. NOT OUT.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Quicker now, a bit fuller as well and on off. Dhir camps back and tucks it away in front of square leg for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Hardik Pandya, Flatter delivery around leg stump, Pandya gets a stride out to flick but misses. The ball goes off the pads towards backward square leg and they get a leg bye.

Change of ends for Noor Ahmad. Also, Ramakrishna Ghosh is off the field for the moment.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Hardik Pandya, Good length, in the channel, hit with a straight bat and on the up towards long off for just another single. 7 off the over.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, Full and straight now, nearly in the blockhole. Dhir digs it out towards mid on and collects a single.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, That's kept a bit low. Slightly slower at 122 kph, a bit full and wide outside off as well. Dhir reaches out to hit it through covers but misses.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Hardik Pandya, Back of a length, tight line around off again. Pandya hops back and punches it down to deep point for one.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Hardik Pandya, Nice and full again, this time around off, drilled from inside the crease to extra cover.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Hardik Pandya, FOUR! Wow, Hardik Pandya gave that the old kitchen sink. Slower one, bowled full and wide outside off. Pandya gets across to reach and has a wild swing but only gets an outside edge that flies wide of the keeper and goes into the deep third fence.

Ramakrishna Ghosh (2-0-17-1) is back on.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Back of a length, on off, punched down through extra covers for a single. Just a bye and two singles in the over, tidy again from CSK.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Another top delivery. Overton bashes the hard length at over 144 clicks and gets the ball to jump off the deck. Hardik Pandya gets squared up as the ball goes quickly past the outside edge.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Edged, but lands short! Hard length in the channel, nips away from the right-hander. Hardik Pandya is indecisive and looks to leave it late, but ends up getting an outside edge that goes down to the right of the keeper. Sanju Samson dives across and collects it on the bounce with the right glove.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, That's brilliant stuff from Overton. Good length at the stumps, at 145.5 kph. Pandya taps it into the deck and Overton just leaps across to his right in the follow-through and collects the ball, having a faking throw at the batter. Pandya is taken aback and scampers back, falling down in the process.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, Slower one, attacking middle stump, Dhir stays back and angles the ball away behind square leg for a single.

Jamie Overton to Hardik Pandya, Dug in well short and right at the batter. Pandya rushes down the pitch and then just leaves it alone. Sanju Samson has a fumble behind the stumps, and the batters pinch a bye.

Noor Ahmad to Hardik Pandya, Bowled from around the wicket, full and outside off. Hardik Pandya punches it through extra cover and picks up a run.

Almost a mix-up between the fielders, but Gaikwad holds on to it. Urvil almost ran into the skipper, but just prevented himself. Hardik Pandya, the MI skipper, is in at number 6.

Noor Ahmad to Tilak Varma, OUT! CAUGHT! That's a brave piece of bowling from Noor Ahmad and he picks up his second wicket. Noor offers more flight on this one and tosses it full and outside off. Tilak Varma is drawn into the drive and looks to smash it over covers but ends up mistiming it badly. The ball gets sliced up around extra cover, where Ruturaj Gaikwad calls for it and pouches it calmly, even though Urvil Patel from cover-point nearly barges into him. Mumbai Indians are 109/4.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, A slight fumble and the batters get a single. Shortish length outside off, cut away off the outside edge and just to the left of Shivam Dube at short third for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Tilak Varma, Full again, at the stumps, worked away wide of mid on for one more.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Full on leg stump, clipped away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Close but not close enough! Nicely bowled by Noor Ahmad, though. Flatter one, on a nagging length and outside off. Naman Dhir lunges across to drive but the ball turns in a bit and goes past the outside edge. Sanju Samson whips off the bails in a flash but replays eventually confirm that Dhir's back leg was inside the popping crease when the bails came off. NOT OUT.

Is Dhir stumped out? Sharp glovework from Samson from behind the stumps. He seems confident, so does Noor, but Naman is going nowhere. The on-field umpire sends it upstairs for a review. First, UltraEdge is being checked and it comes up with a flat line. The triple-angled replay comes up and a zoomer is deployed as well. It detects that some part of Naman's back boot is inside the crease and is grounded just when Samson breaks the stumps. NOT OUT loads on the giant screen.

Tilak seems to have hurt his left wrist in the process of scooping the ball. Takes the gloves off and shakes the pain off. The ball rams straight on his wristwatch and it comes off. The physio is out there to check him up. Applies a bit of magic spray. Noor Ahmad is back on. 2-0-19-1 so far.

Jamie Overton to Tilak Varma, Another dot! Jamie Overton lands this on a good length and around off, Tilak Varma goes down and across for a premeditated scoop but misses and takes a blow on his left hand.

Jamie Overton to Tilak Varma, Fuller and on the pads, Tilak Varma flicks it away wide of deep square leg and comes back for the second run.

Jamie Overton to Tilak Varma, Beaten! Short of a length and on off, angles away, Tilak Varma tries to cut but gets beaten due to the extra bounce.

Jamie Overton to Naman Dhir, Excellent effort! Pitched up and on off, Naman Dhir drills it hard and wide of mid off. Ruturaj Gaikwad puts in a dive to his right and gets a hand on it to take the sting out but the ball still rolls behind him. He gets up and chases after it, and slides forward to push the ball back inside. Three runs taken. The replay shows that it is a clean stop as well.

Has Gaikwad saved a boundary? He dived to his right and took the sting out of the ball and got back up, sprinted hard from mid off. Slid to flick the ball back before the ropes. The replay confirms it is a clean save from the CSK captain.

Jamie Overton to Tilak Varma, Fuller and on middle, Tilak Varma works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

Jamie Overton to Tilak Varma, Just short! Jamie Overton sees the batter advance and hits the deck hard, around off. Tilak Varma reaches out to push it away but the ball just holds up on the surface a bit. It spoons up off the higher part of the bat towards cover, where Shivam Dube moves sideways to his right initially and then puts a dive forward but fails to reach it.

Change? Yup. Jamie Overton is introduced into the attack now. And misses his run up. Walks back to reload.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, Much fuller and around off, Naman Dhir drives it firmly but straight to extra cover.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Tilak Varma, Short of a length and on off, Tilak Varma stabs it through covers for one. 100 UP FOR MI!

Suryakumar Yadav is extremely disappointed as he makes a slow walk back. Got another good start, but not to be yet again for him. In walks Tilak Varma at number 5.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Suryakumar Yadav, OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! A special moment for Ramakrishna Ghosh as he gets his MAIDEN IPL WICKET. He bends his back and bangs this hard into the pitch, just on off. Suryakumar Yadav sways away a bit and tries to cut it away but this is too close to his body and he fails to free his arms fully. He ends up hitting it aerially and straight towards deep point, where Dewald Brevis does not have to move much and takes a good catch. SKY hangs his head back in disbelief but his lean run in this IPL still continues.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, Good stop! Good length and around off, Noor Ahmad opens the bat face and guides it wide of point. Prashant Veer dives to his left and saves a certain boundary. Just one!

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Two in two! Hits the length hard, on off, Naman Dhir stays put in his crease this time. He gets on top of the bounce and flat-bats it over mid off for another boundary.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Up and over! Short of a length and outside off. Naman Dhir gives the charge, stays leg side of the ball and extends his arms to slap it over extra covers for a boundary.

Halfway reached. There's a good bit of tussle between bat and ball. Just when CSK managed to bowl a couple of quiet overs, MI have hit back hard in response to keep themselves afloat. Ramakrishna Ghosh (1-0-7-0) to continue.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Goes short again and around off, Naman Dhir punches it through covers for one more.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Shorter and on off, Naman Dhir moves back and swats it down the ground. Noor Ahmad gets his left boot in the way of it to make a half-stop.

Noor Ahmad to Suryakumar Yadav, Flatter, full and on leg, Suryakumar Yadav drills it to long on for a run.

Noor Ahmad to Suryakumar Yadav, SIX! Even better and bigger! Floated, full and around off, Suryakumar Yadav takes his front leg out of the way, hits it through the line, dispatching it over the long off fence for a biggie.

Noor Ahmad to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Gets it through! A bit of a drag down, outside off. Suryakumar Yadav gives himself some room and cuts it away past the diving point fielder to his right for a boundary.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, Tossed up, full and on off, Naman Dhir prods forward and taps it in front of point for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It's been a good tussle between bat and ball. Mumbai Indians have managed to run away in terms of the scoring rate but do have a solid platform to launch from. Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, have bowled well, but a couple of costly overs have dented them quite a bit and they will look to pick up a few more wickets through this middle phase. MI have some power to come but they will love for Suryakumar Yadav to play a big knock here. Should be an interesting phase of play. So, let's get back to it. Also, Noor Ahmad is back into the attack.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, Pitched up and on middle and leg, Naman Dhir clips it away wide of long on for one more. Just 7 runs off the over, good start from Ramakrishna Ghosh!

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Suryakumar Yadav, Hard-length delivery, on off, Suryakumar Yadav opens the bat face and runs it down to deep third for one.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Suryakumar Yadav, Good length and on off, keeps a bit low, Suryakumar Yadav stays back and stabs it to the left of the bowler.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! SKY gets going now! Fuller in length and well outside off. Suryakumar Yadav, seeing the width on offer, throws his hands at it, flaying it over backward point for a boundary.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Suryakumar Yadav, Back of a length and on middle, nips back in, Suryakumar Yadav looks to push it away but gets an inside edge towards short mid-wicket.

Ramakrishna Ghosh to Naman Dhir, Hits the length hard, on off, angles in a bit, Naman Dhir pats it in front of cover for a single.

The debutant, Ramakrishna Ghosh to have a bowl now.

Prashant Veer to Naman Dhir, Arm ball, pushed into the batter on the leg stump. Naman Dhir shimmies down the track and knocks this full ball to the right of long on for an easy single. 7 runs from the over. 2-0-25-0 so far for Prashant.

Prashant Veer to Suryakumar Yadav, Overpitched delivery, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav drives it through the vacant mid off region for a single.

Prashant Veer to Suryakumar Yadav, In front of the stumps, full in length. Suryakumar Yadav gets on the front foot and eases it to extra cover.

Prashant Veer to Naman Dhir, Quicker and flatter, full on middle and leg. Dhir leans forward and clips it into the leg side just beside the pitch and is called through for a quick run. Prashant rushes forward to collect the ball, but by then, the batters complete the single. A hasty one, though.

Prashant Veer to Naman Dhir, FOUR! All class from Dhir! Serves it up there, does Veer. Full and around off. Naman Dhir hits it with the turn, stays leg side of the ball and lofts it inside out over cover for a boundary.

Prashant Veer to Naman Dhir, Slides it into the batter, too full at 93.2 kph. Dhir drives it straight back at the bowler.

Prashant Veer (1-0-18-0) is back on, but from the other end.

Noor Ahmad to Suryakumar Yadav, Length ball, on leg, bunted off the back foot to Noor.

Noor Ahmad to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Delicacy from SKY! Quicker googly, on a length, outside off. Suryakumar Yadav picks the wrong'un, stays back and guides it between the first slip and the short third fielders for a boundary to get off the mark.

The next batter is Suryakumar Yadav.

Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Rickelton couldn't have picked a fielder any better there. This is full and tossed up around off. Rickelton gets down on a knee and slog sweeps it, but gets a bit of top edge and airs it straight down the throat of Urvil Patel at deep backward square leg, who makes no mistake. Rickelton's fun comes to an end after a proactive start. Noor looks up at the heavens as he gets his first wicket eventually and MI are 59/2.

Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Googly, pitched on a length outside off. Spins back in sharply as Rickelton drops to a knee, gets into a bit of a tangle, and attempts the reverse sweep against the spin. Loses his balance in the process, and the ball rolls away to backward point.

Noor Ahmad to Naman Dhir, PUT DOWN! Dube shells an absolute dolly. Noor is shellshocked and the crowd goes silent as well. A short ball, googly, outside off. Naman tries to cut it away but gets a thick outside edge and the ball lobs to the right of Dube. Shivam moves to his right from short third, but puts it down. A single taken.

Noor Ahmad to Ryan Rickelton, Touch full and wide outside off, a normal leg break from Noor. Ryan Rickelton throws his bat at it and scythes it to deep point for a single.

End of the Powerplay, and Mumbai are in the ascendancy here. Noor Ahmad comes into the attack immediately after the fielding restrictions are lifted.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Much fuller on middle, Ryan flicks it off the front foot to deep mid-wicket for a single. 10 runs off the over. MI finish their Powerplay strongly at 57/1.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Low full toss, around off, Ryan drives it to mid off but cannot get it past.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Sharp inswing, from middle to leg, Ryan Rickelton whips the fuller one off the inner half to deep backward square leg for two runs.

Mukesh Choudhary to Naman Dhir, Back of a length, at 125.5 kph, skidding through on the leg stump line. Naman Dhir tries to work it across off the back foot, but plays all over it and wears it on the thigh pad. The ball rolls in front of backward point and they cross for a leg bye. A slight appeal for LBW by Mukesh, but nothing doing.

Mukesh Choudhary to Naman Dhir, SIX! Picked and dumped in the stands! Fuller on the leg stump line, Naman Dhir clears the front leg, and uses his wrists to whip it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a cracking six. 50 UP FOR MUMBAI INDIANS!

Mukesh Choudhary to Naman Dhir, Full and a bit of outswing on off, Naman Dhir presses in front and drives it crisply but finds mid off in the way.

Ryan Rickelton is on a rampage right now and MI have hit 6 sixes in the last 3 overs. Mukesh Choudhary switches ends now.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, SIX MORE! Rickelton on the charge for MI! Another bit of loosener from Veer. This is full in front of the sticks, Ryan Rickelton picks the length early and slogs it comfortably once again over the long on fence for half a dozen runs. 18 runs from Prashant's first.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, SIX! Goes all the way! Drops it full and on middle, into the slot. Ryan Rickelton gets down on a knee and slogs it cleanly over long on for a six. Fourth six already for Ryan Rickelton.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, Drags the length back, around off. Ryan plays off the back foot and punches it to cover.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, SIX! That's a good strike! A half volley, on the leg stump line. Ryan Rickelton gets his front foot across, sits down on a knee and sweeps it aerially over deep fine leg for a biggie. Good use of the wrists there by Rickelton.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, Drifts it across the batter, full outside off. Ryan Rickelton leans on and carves it straight to mid off.

Prashant Veer to Ryan Rickelton, Around the stump, too full, on off. Rickelton shovels it back to the bowler.

Assuming there will be a bowling change from this end. Yes. Spin has been deployed inside the restrictions. Here's Prashant Veer into the attack, replacing Mukesh Choudhary.

Anshul Kamboj to Ryan Rickelton, Hard length, wider outside off, eased away towards deep point for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Ryan Rickelton, Wow, Rickelton was gone for all the money there, but Kamboj has hurried the throw here. This is bowled fairly full and wide outside off. Rickelton reaches out and jams it into the deck. The ball goes barely into the off side and Rickelton is off for the single. He realizes there's no chance of a single and turns back but Kamboj gets to the ball quickly and Rickelton gives up. However, Kamboj fails to get the direct hit in and Rickelton is able to jog back into his crease.

Anshul Kamboj to Ryan Rickelton, Pitched fuller and just outside off, using the natural angle to get it away from the left-hander. Rickelton looks to slog it over wide long on but is well beaten.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, Good length again, this time in the channel. Dhir stays leg side of the ball and punches it with an open bat face to deep point and collects a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, SIX! Slammed away deep into the stands. A length ball, around the top of the middle stump. Naman Dhir stays compact and hits through the line, launching it over long on for a biggie.

Anshul Kamboj to Ryan Rickelton, Hard length, slanted across off, hit away past point for a single by Rickelton.

A very profitable over for MI. Rickelton showed a bit of positive intent that takes Mumbai's run rate above run-a-ball. Kamboj to continue.

Mukesh Choudhary to Naman Dhir, A skiddy short ball over middle and leg, Dhir gets hurried into the pull but manages to hit it away in front of square on the leg side and picks up a couple of runs in the deep.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Banged into the pitch, slightly short and wide. Rickelton gets on his toes and pats it down behind point for a run.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Oh, a bit of hesitation between the batters now. Good length around off, tapped away towards Noor Ahmad at cover. Rickelton sets off for the single, but Naman Dhir rightly sends him back.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, SIX! Back-to-back from Rickelton! Dug in short over off and middle, Rickelton is waiting for it and lays into the pull shot as he whacks it high over deep mid-wicket for another biggie.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, SIX! That's a fine shot. Fuller delivery, shapes away from around off. Ryan Rickelton backs away a bit leg side, waits for the swing and then hits it up and over covers for the first six of the game.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Another swing and a miss. A fraction shorter than a good length, shapes away from around off. Rickelton leans back to pull but misses.

Mukesh Choudhary to continue.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, Kamboj bowls a heavy length and hits the deck hard around off. Naman Dhir swings wildly at it, but the ball sails well over the blade. A wicket and 4 runs off the second over.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, This one swings late. Fullish length wide outside off, Dhir reaches out to drive, but the ball just nips back in off the deck and goes past the inside edge.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Oh, that's streaky. A yorker now, around middle stump. Naman Dhir is late to jam a straight bat at it and gets a thickish inside edge that runs down to long leg and rolls into the vacant fence.

Anshul Kamboj to Naman Dhir, A tad fuller now, in and around the off stump, Naman Dhir punches it to the cover fielder.

Kamboj strikes big in his first over and further increases his wicket tally this season. Naman Dhir walks in at number 3.

Anshul Kamboj to Will Jacks, OUT! CAUGHT! What a take from the debutant! Anshul Kamboj bashes the good length and bowls it around the top of off and middle. Will Jacks charges down the track again and looks to heave it leg side but ends up slicing it off the top edge. The ball sails over backward point and Ramakrishna Ghosh comes charging in from the deep. He dives forward to pouch it brilliantly with both hands. MI are 1/1.

Anshul Kamboj to Will Jacks, Pitched-up delivery, outside off, Jacks comes down the pitch and makes a bit of room but mistimes the shot straight to covers.

Superb start for Mukesh and CSK. Got the ball moving a bit and didn't gave any sort of room. Anshul Kamboj, CSK's leading wicket-taker so far, will bowl from the opposite end. A slip in place.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Excellent start from Mukesh, just a single off it. Good length again, in the channel and angling away, Rickelton looks to drive but ends up jamming it off the inner half of the blade and into the off side.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, On a good length, much straighter as well at 140.6 kph. Rickelton gets a bit squared up and defends it down in front of mid on.

Mukesh Choudhary to Ryan Rickelton, Nice shape again. Pitched up fuller on off, swings away from the left-hander. Ryan Rickelton plays it late and blocks it towards cover.

Mukesh Choudhary to Will Jacks, Jacks and Mumbai Indians are finally underway. Back of a length and outside off, steered away to the right of deep third for a single.

Mukesh Choudhary to Will Jacks, Now some swing on the fuller delivery. On the leg stump, shaping in, Jacks looks to flick but misses and wears it around the boot.

Mukesh Choudhary to Will Jacks, Good carry first up. Mukesh Choudhary peppers the hard length and darts it across the right-hander's off stump. Will Jacks looks to cut but is beaten by the extra bounce.

All in readiness for the biggest rivalry of IPL to get underway in Chennai. The two umpires walk out. Needless to say, it's a full house with yellow dominating the blues in the crowd. Ruturaj Gaikwad has his men in a huddle before the Super Kings scatter throughout the park. Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks are the two MI openers. Mukesh Choudhary has the new ball and will bowl the opening over. Jacks to face. A slip in place. Here we go!

Impact Player options for CSK - Kartik Sharma, Akeal Hosein, Sarfaraz Khan, Matthew Short, and Gurjapneet Singh.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI) - Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh (In for Kartik Sharma), Prashant Veer (In for Akeal Hosein), Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, and Mukesh Choudhary (In for Gurjapneet Singh).

Impact Player options for MI - Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, and Ashwani Kumar.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI) - Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (C), Robin Minz, Krish Bhagat (In for Ashwani Kumar), Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, and AM Ghazanfar.

The skipper of Chennai Super Kings - Ruturaj Gaikwad says they would have batted first as well. Details that the wicket looks pretty good and looks on the drier side and thinks it won't change much throughout the game. Admits that in the previous game they were put into a very difficult position but underlines that they recovered well and put on a fighting score on the board. He notes it was a bit of a tough track to bat on in the last game and says everyone's confidence is high. On his message to the team, Gaikwad says there is nothing much, just to stick to their process, keep it simple and try to do the basics right. He acknowledges it is a pressure game and a must-win, but says if they do their process right, the results will come. On team changes, Gaikwad confirms they have a couple of changes, with Ramakrishna Ghosh coming in for Gurjapneet Singh and Prashant Veer coming in for Akeal Hosein.

The captain of Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya says that it looks like a good track. In the T20 World Cup, they played against Zimbabwe on this wicket and it played well. Adds that they batted well in the last game and wants to give another chance batting first. Pandya mentions that it has been a must-win situation for the last 7-8 games. There is still a lot to play for, especially for pride. They are professionals and will have to play good cricket to get the result. Hardik shares that they haven't lost games over 40 overs, it has been those 2-3 overs which have cost them. He reckons that if they can take the half-chances, create half-chances, score the runs they need, they will be in a better position. Informs that Raghu Sharma, the leggie, is making his debut. Krish Bhagat also comes back in the side for Ashwani Kumar.

It does land as 'Heads' and Mumbai Indians will BAT first.

TOSS - It's toss time in Chennai. Ruturaj Gaikwad is already out in the middle, having a chat with Ravi Shastri, and after a bit of a wait, Hardik Pandya too walks out to the middle. Gaikwad and Pandya give each other a warm hug before the flip of the coin. It is Gaikwad who gives it a flick, and Pandya calls 'Heads.'

THIS JUST IN - Raghu Sharma has just been handed his maiden cap for Mumbai Indians. A big moment for the leg spinner and he looks ecstatic to get this chance. We are just a couple of minutes away from toss now, stay tuned.

Ryan Rickelton is in for a quick chat now - On being asked how he is feeling after the century in the previous and how the team atmosphere is, Ryan Rickelton says he is over the moon to get an IPL hundred, which he calls a dream come true. Admits that he is a bit disappointed to see massive scores getting chased down so easily and frequently. But says that there is still a lot to look forward to. On being asked how he managed to perform so well at such short notice, given that he was not supposed to play, Rickelton reveals that he was in the pool, relaxing, and had trained in the gym the previous morning but was not ready to play. He says that when he got to know he was playing, he kept things simple and went about his work. He adds that the lesson from that is not to be too serious about something that is actually serious, and says the key is to be in the zone when required and know how to switch off otherwise. He also mentions that he does not know how long Quinton de Kock is going to be out for, but says that means he now has the responsibility. On being asked how to win the powerplay, be it with the ball or with the bat, Rickelton says the team needs to make sure they do what they can, and that every player must stick to what he does best and execute accordingly. He says there is no need to try doing what others can, and that each player should just do what he can and do it at his best. He ends by hoping that he and Will Jacks can get off to a strong start together once again.

Let's now hear from CSK's Akeal Hosein - Akeal Hosein says that they don't see this game any differently from the start of the season. Every match is important, yes, there is added pressure with where they are in the table but they treat each game equally important. Akeal mentions that it does give confidence performing well against the same opposition, but in cricket, every day is a new day. You have to take the positives from what worked in that game, but this is a different venue and they might have a different team, so you have to learn and adapt to situations quickly as well. Hosein shares that bowling in the Powerplay, you have to find ways either to contain the batters or get them out. It's already difficult with only two fielders outside the circle, and one thing you have to do is not be too greedy. The key is to make the batters hit either to the left, right, or over those fielders rather than giving them more scoring options.

PITCH REPORT - Former England skipper Eoin Morgan is pitchside. He starts by saying that the square boundaries are 65 meters and 66 meters on either side, and down the ground, it is a 78-meter hit. Adds that there is a bit of a breeze and they are on Pitch number 5, which was used in CSK's first home game. Former Whiter Ferns player, Katey Martin, joins Morgs and says that it is a fresh wicket, made up of black soil, and reckons that it's been watered well. Feels that the seamers will look to hit a 6-8 meter length. They both feel that 210 is a good score on this wicket and reckon that the team winning the toss should be looking to field first.

Looking for inspiration - Both teams come into this clash but CSK do have 3 wins in their last 5 games, including a 103-run win over tonight's rivals. MI, meanwhile, have only one win in their last 5 matches and will feel that a win here in the den of their eternal rivals will give them a major boost. Neither team will back down from a fight, and if either of these two teams find their best form, they could be unstoppable, so expect a fierce game. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

A mixed bag for World Cup winners - There are plenty of match-winners on both sides, including a plethora of stars from India's 2026 T20 World Cup-winning squad. While Sanju Samson has carried that form and struck a couple of stellar centuries, he hasn't been as consistent as CSK would like. Shivam Dube has also endured an inconsistent season, unable to replicate his form from over the last year or so. However, MI face a deeper crisis, with the likes of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav looking like a shadow of themselves, and if MI are to turn their season around, their star players need to step up big time.

IPL El Classico is back - After meeting less than 10 days ago, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians meet yet again, this time at Chepauk, in what is a historically iconic fixture in the IPL. What's not iconic is the current form of these two stalwarts and any sort of a slip-up from hereon can prove to be decisive. On that note, welcome to the coverage.

... MATCH DAY ...

Round 2 of El Clasico - A new chapter in a rivalry steeped in history is set to unfold down south as the Chennai Super Kings host the Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Two of the most successful franchises in the league's history, with five titles each to their name, but this season they have looked anything but the champion outfits of their title-winning years. Both sides find themselves languishing in the bottom half of the table and are searching for a turnaround. MI's uphill battle - With just 2 wins from 8 matches, the Mumbai Indians find themselves in a precarious position. It will take something special to turn their season around from here. Even if they manage to win all six of their remaining games and get to 16 points, it may not be enough for the Hardik Pandya-led unit. Searching for stability - Injuries and inconsistent form have disrupted their stability at the top of the order. MI have already tried four different opening combinations this season. Rohit Sharma's absence has been followed by Quinton de Kock's wrist injury. QDK's injury opened the door for Ryan Rickelton, who made the most of his opportunity with a stunning 123* against SRh, the highest individual score by an MI batter in the league's history. With Rohit still recovering from a hamstring injury, MI are expected to continue with Rickelton and Will Jacks at the top. Missing the spark - While the opening pair offers promise, the real concern lies in the middle order. The likes of Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, and Suryakumar Yadav have yet to deliver. Varma's season has been a tale of extremes. His unbeaten 101 against the Titans showcased his potential, but outside of that innings, runs have been hard to come by. Suryakumar, too, has not been able to replicate the brilliance of his 2025 campaign, where he amassed 717 runs in 16 innings. His lack of impact has left MI without their usual middle-order engine. Bowling under the scanner - The bowling unit has been an even bigger concern. A lack of penetration has hurt them throughout the season, and their inability to defend 243 in the previous game would have dealt a significant blow to confidence. They have struggled not just to take wickets at crucial moments but also to control the flow of runs. The biggest surprise has been Jasprit Bumrah, who has been uncharacteristically ineffective, averaging 132 this season. Conditions in Chennai could offer a slight reprieve. With slightly bigger boundaries and a surface that is not expected to be overly batting-friendly, MI's bowlers could find more assistance than they have at home. CSK searching for consistency - Just three wins from eight games, and it has been a season of fits and starts for the Chennai Super Kings. They opened with three straight defeats, responded with back-to-back wins, but have since slipped into another inconsistent run. CSK will take confidence from their earlier meeting against MI in Mumbai, where they registered their biggest win (103 runs) in IPL history. That performance showed what this side is capable of when everything clicks. Samson carrying the burden - At the top, CSK have become heavily reliant on Sanju Samson to set the tone, especially after losing Ayush Mhatre to injury. While Samson has provided impetus, the lack of support has hurt them. The form, or rather the lack of it, from Ruturaj Gaikwad has only added to their concerns. The issues extend into the middle order. Much like MI, CSK have struggled to find consistency in this phase. Runs have dried up, and the inability to stitch together meaningful partnerships has often stalled their innings at crucial moments. Key men with the ball - On the bowling front, there have been encouraging signs. Anshul Kamboj has emerged as a standout performer, while Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein have combined effectively, with Akeal keen to bounce back after a tough outing against GT. Jamie Overton has made good use of the Chepauk conditions, while Mukesh Choudhary has stepped in well after Khaleel Ahmed's season-ending injury. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - CSK - LWLWW | MI - LLWLL. Not your usual Chepauk - When you think of Chepauk, spin is usually the first thing that comes to mind, but this season has told a different story. Pacers have enjoyed more success so far, accounting for 29 of the 41 wickets to fall in the four games played here. The scoring trends have shifted as well. Last season, the 200-mark wasn't breached even once in six games in Chennai. This year, it has already been crossed three times in just four matches. The scoring rate has also seen a noticeable jump, rising to 9.6, compared to being under 9 in the previous five seasons. Interestingly, all three of CSK's wins this season have come while batting first, so they might be inclined to do the same if they win the toss. As for MI, it is a bit of a dilemma. Batting first allows them to play with freedom, without scoreboard pressure, but can they trust their bowlers to defend, especially after what happened in the last game? All in all, it promises to be a gripping contest between two sides desperate to find momentum.