In a match between heavyweights, Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 103 runs on Thursday thanks to opener Sanju Samson’s second IPL century of the year.
Put into bat at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, five-time champions CSK racked up 207/6 due to Samson’s undefeated 101 off 54 balls.
MI, who have also won the IPL five times, were bundled for 104 in 19 overs by Chennai’s West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein, who subsequently produced outstanding figures of 4/17.
CSK’s net run-rate increased as a result of the enormous victory margin, moving them up to fifth place in the 10-team standings. With five losses in seven games, MI fell to eighth place.
With a 14-ball 22 from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Chennai’s innings got off to a fast start before he was dismissed in the third over by Afghanistan spinner A.M. Ghazanfar.
After that, Samson hit three fours and one six against Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya, but he continued to lose partners at the other end, including Dewald Brevis for 21.
Unfazed, the 31-year-old launched an onslaught against the opposition, hitting six maximums and ten fours in his skillful, strokeful knock.
Before Samson’s final attack propelled Chennai to cross 200, Ghazanfar and left-arm quick Ashwani Kumar each claimed two wickets as Mumbai spinners delivered frequent punches.
After hitting a four on the last ball of the innings to record his fifth century in the T20 event, Samson raised his bat to thank the cheers from the dugout and spectators.
In response, Mumbai fell to 11/3 after losing three wickets in the first three overs, including South African Quinton de Kock for seven.
Hosein, a left-arm spinner who played as Impact substitute, claimed two of the three wickets.
Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 35, tried to rebuild in a partnership of 73, but Chennai’s neat bowling kept raising the asking rate.
The cunning Hosein came back to break the stand when he got Varma to pull a delivery onto his stumps and out for 37.
Wickets continued to fall as Noor Ahmad hit consecutive balls to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford for a duck and Pandya for one, while Shardul Thakur escaped the hat-trick.
After Hosein dismissed Suryakumar for his fourth scalp, the MI run chase fizzled out.
