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IPL 2021 resumes with MI vs CSK

By Mumbai Indians

IPL 2021 finally resumes this Sunday with a blockbuster encounter - Mumbai Indians taking on Chennai Super Kings. For both the teams, the contest continues from where they left off, facing each other in a thrilling encounter.

While MI will walk into this game having pulled off a massive comeback win, courtesy of an on-fire Kieron Pollard, CSK will come in with their head held high from the show they put up, despite it ending in a loss.

Ahead of the much-anticipated encounter, below are a few points to note:

Contrasting campaigns for the teams in UAE

While playing IPL 2020 last year around the same time in the UAE, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings had very contrasting fortunes. While Mumbai Indians stood on top and took home the trophy that they continue to defend, CSK, had a disheartening campaign, sitting in seventh position with 12 points.

The Men in Blue and Gold will be keen on coming back to a place that has given them sweet memories to cherish, while CSK will want to rewrite how they look at UAE going ahead.

Current position in the points table

Both teams have played seven games each. MI have won four out of those, having lost three games in Chennai. However, CSK has won one more game than MI and have five wins out of seven, putting them in the second position because of their higher run-rate as compared to third placed RCB. MI sit fourth with eight points.

Recent form against each other

The five-time IPL champions have won six out of the last seven games against CSK. In fact, MI has won eight games out of the last 11 played against the MS Dhoni led team. CSK’s only win against MI in the last seven games came in the IPL 2020 opener, a tournament which MI went on to win here at the UAE.

Overall head-to-head record

The teams have faced each other 31 times in the IPL out of which MI has won 19 clashes. Suresh Raina has the most runs for CSK against MI, a total of 724 runs. Captain Rohit Sharma has the most runs for MI against CSK, 693 runs in 28 games.

The previous encounter

The previous encounter between the two most successful teams of the IPL was one for the record books. CSK, setting the target first, put up a massive 218/4 in the allotted 20 overs. They rode on half centuries from Faf du Plessis (50) and Moeen Ali (58), along with Ambati Rayudu’s 72* (27). MI had never chased a 200+ score before, but it was all about to change.

MI looked knee-deep in trouble as they stood at 81/3 halfway through the chase. But Kieron Pollard’s arrival changed everything. He smashed a 34-ball 87*, complete with six fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 255.88. He ruled the game from the moment he stepped in, and scored the joint fastest fifty for MI to chase down 218.

It will be interesting to see how teams take off from here. While the points table is on CSK’s side, history, both recent and from before, has been on MI’s. An exciting clash awaits us on Sunday, 19th September 2021.