It be will be the 2nd Classico of IPL 12 when the two of the most successful teams in IPL history lock horns in the 44th match of Vivo IPL 12. The match between Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings has always been a closely fought match and Mumbai are the only team who has got the better of CSK on more occasions than other teams.
In the previous clash between the two teams, it was Mumbai Indians who defeated CSK quite convincingly in the end. It was also CSK’s only defeat in their first 8 matches. Mumbai Indians generally tend to lift their game to another level when they are playing against the Chennai Super Kings and it was quite evident from their performance in the first leg against CSK.
Mumbai Indians have won 6 out of the 10 matches they have played and looks confident of going through to the playoffs. They have played some terrific cricket but has not managed to be consistent which has resulted in MI losing 4 matches. There is no doubt about the fact that will take their game to a whole new level against Chennai Super Kings tomorrow.
Their bowling line-up has faltered on occasions but given the experience which the bowling attack of MI posses, we might witness a special display of bowling in the 44th match of the tournament. The batting line-up has been pretty up and down and hasn’t managed to score runs freely. Quinton de Kock has looked in good touch but has failed to convert his starts into big ones.
Mumbai Indians should look to start scoring more freely especially in the powerplay overs. They might ponder upon sending someone like Hardik Pandya or Kieron Pollard up the batting order to get that much needed accelerating punch in the middle overs. It might be on witness tomorrow but if MI manages to win tomorrow then we might see a few changes in the batting order from the next match.
Chennai Super Kings, on the other hand, got their campaign back on track against the Sunrisers Hyderabad after suffering a couple of back to back defeats. With 8 victories from 11 matches, Chennai is placed at the top of the points table and are almost through to the playoffs. They have a match-winning team who keeps on delivering every day.
MS Dhoni was impressed as different individuals have helped CSK win matches. The decision to persist with Shane Watson again paid rich dividends as he smashed a match-winning 96 against Hyderabad. The middle order has been ordinary on occasions and has been reliant heavily on Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has been the highest run scorer for CSK in the tournament so far.
Dhoni has used his troops very well. On their home track, it will be a tough job for MI to get past their rivals. The spin department of CSK has done a great job for them, especially in home conditions. It will be interesting to see how MI cope with the challenges given by CSK.
Time and Venue:
The match will be played on 26th April, Friday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai from 8 pm.
Weather Report:
It is expected to be another hot day in Chennai. However, the players will be relieved with the fact that the match will be played from 8 pm. The temperature is expected to hover around 31-36 degrees. No rain is expected for tomorrow’s encounter and we can expect a full 40 overs match.
Pitch Report:
The surface in Chennai has been on the slower side and it has been a difficult run-scoring venue. However, the previous match between SRH and CSK saw the pitch behave quite differently. SRH made 175 in 20 overs and in the end, it was an easy run chase for Chennai. Hence it will be interesting to see how the pitch behaves in the 44th match of the competition.
Match Prediction
It will be a high voltage clash and there is certainly no doubt about it. Both teams have an even record against each other. However, I feel that MI will win tomorrow’s clash against Chennai despite the yellow brigade winning 8 out of their 11 matches so far.