Chennai Super Kings delivered a commanding performance, crushing Mumbai Indians by 103 runs during their IPL 2026 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday. After being asked to bat first, CSK managed 207 for 6, thanks largely to Sanju Samson’s brilliant unbeaten century. While the team lost wickets consistently throughout their innings, Samson’s outstanding knock (101 not out from 54 deliveries) helped them reach an impressive total. His masterful innings featured 10 boundaries and half a dozen sixes. For MI, Allah Ghazanfar and Ashwani Kumar each claimed two scalps. During Mumbai’s reply, they faced a disastrous beginning, losing three batsmen within 2.3 overs. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav provided some fight through a 73-run stand, but after their partnership ended, CSK took complete control. Mumbai collapsed to 104 all out in 19 overs, experiencing their heaviest loss by runs margin. Akeal Hosein starred with the ball, recording impressive figures of 4 for 17. Samson Scores Hundred as Bowlers Dominate Mumbai Indians .
TOSS
Mumbai Indians won the toss and chose to bowl first.
PLAYING XI
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI):
Quinton de Kock(w), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Krish Bhagat, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI):
Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Sarfaraz Khan, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
Ruturaj Gaikwad launched an aggressive assault on Hardik Pandya and began energetically, but AM Ghazanfar dismissed him for 22 during the third over. Without Ayush Mhatre available, Samson stepped up, propelling CSK beyond 50 by the fourth over’s conclusion before Sarfaraz Khan contributed, opening his account with a boundary against Bumrah. Sarfaraz then targeted Mitchell Santner for multiple boundaries before falling to the sweep shot when bowled, prompting CSK to promote Shivam Dube in the final powerplay over. Despite those dismissals, a powerplay score of 73/2 provided CSK with an excellent foundation to build a substantial total.
The innings showcased beautiful strokeplay, beginning with an elegant cover drive against Bumrah in the opening over. A delicate dab between short third and backward point, along with several pulls, highlighted his technique and batting intelligence. He targeted advantageous matchups while carefully negotiating Bumrah and Ghazanfar, who proved most effective for MI. When CSK lost Dewald Brevis and their batting depth looked vulnerable, Samson shouldered the responsibility to anchor the innings.
Throughout this period, he reached his half-century from 26 deliveries while maintaining complete composure. He accelerated during the death overs and retained strike in the final over as the established batsman, ultimately completing his century off the last ball with a boundary over square leg. This knock propelled CSK forward despite brief contributions from teammates, as the visitors had targeted a total exceeding 220 at the innings’ midpoint.
Pandya claimed a wicket, removing Kartik Sharma with a full toss in a dismissal strikingly similar to his removal of MS Dhoni in last year’s corresponding match. Bumrah opened the bowling again and maintained pressure, though he conceded 13 in his second over after Samson provided CSK with momentum. Operating in the 17th and 19th overs, Bumrah’s yorkers proved unplayable, as Kartik discovered before his exit. The premier fast bowler conceded merely two runs in the 17th and 10 in the 19th, with Samson guiding a free hit to the fine leg boundary. His figures of 1/31 significantly helped MI limit CSK to 207.
MUMBAI INDIANS
Akeal Hosein, omitted against Sunrisers Hyderabad, demonstrated CSK’s oversight. He achieved perfect flight and turn as Danish Malewar edged to the keeper for a duck in the opening over. Mukesh Choudhary then frustrated Quinton de Kock with consecutive dot balls before the batsman dragged one onto his stumps. Hosein secured CSK’s third wicket in three overs by bowling Naman Dhir, who attempted an unsuccessful cross-batted shot. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma remained subdued throughout the remaining powerplay, which MI concluded at 29/3, essentially ending their hopes in a 208-run pursuit.
This came after their early collapse. Choudhary surprisingly bowled his fourth consecutive over, yielding 16 runs, while Noor Ahmad’s opening delivery was short and misdirected down leg. Despite these lapses, MI reached 69/3 after 10 overs, requiring nearly 14 runs per over thereafter. However, once Hosein returned and induced Tilak to play on, another batting collapse commenced. Noor delivered decisive blows, removing Pandya and Sherfane Rutherford with successive balls before Hosein secured his fourth wicket. Subsequently, the tail-enders offered little resistance as MI crumbled to 104 with one over remaining in their allocation.
Brief Scores:
Chennai Super Kings 207/6 in 20 overs [Sanju Samson 101* (54), Ruturaj Gaikwad 22 (14); AM Ghazanfar 2-25, Ashwani Kumar 2-37] defeated Mumbai Indians 104 in 19 overs [Tilak Varma 37 (29); Akeal Hosein 4-17, Noor Ahmad 2-24, Anshul Kamboj 1-10] by 103 runs.
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