A magnificent century from Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma was not enough as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) emerged victorious by 20 runs in their recent encounter at Wankhede Stadium.
CSK’s victory places them at third position with eight points from four wins and two losses, while MI remains at the eighth spot with four points, having won two matches and lost four.
Opting to bat first, CSK got off to a shaky start with the early dismissal of Ajinkya Rahane for just five runs. However, half-centuries from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube, along with a ‘Mahi Special’ hat-trick of sixes from MS Dhoni in the final over, propelled CSK to a competitive total of 206/4 in 20 overs.
In response, MI’s opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan got off to a promising start, with Rohit smashing his second IPL century. However, a four-wicket haul from Matheesha Pathirana restricted MI to 186/6, despite Rohit’s heroic unbeaten 105 off 63 balls.
MI’s chase began strongly, with Rohit and Kishan forging a solid partnership. But Pathirana’s breakthrough in the seventh over shifted the momentum in CSK’s favor. Despite Rohit’s valiant efforts, MI fell short of the target, managing 186/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Pathirana was the standout bowler for CSK, claiming four wickets for 28 runs. Tushar Deshpande and Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with a wicket each.
Earlier, Gaikwad and Dube’s explosive batting propelled CSK to a formidable total. Gaikwad scored 69 off 40 balls, while Dube remained unbeaten on 66 off 38 balls.
Despite a spirited effort from Rohit, MI’s middle-order collapse and CSK’s disciplined bowling ensured a comfortable win for the Men in Yellow.
Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings: 206/4 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 69, Shivam Dube 66*, Hardik Pandya 2/43) Mumbai Indians: 186/6 (Rohit Sharma 105*, Tilak Varma 31, Matheesha Pathirana 4/28)