Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians, 44th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryCSK vs MI, 44th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

Is this the end of the road for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026? Three defeats on the bounce now and seven losses overall. Just four points from nine games and they will need something extraordinary from here to stay alive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings climb to sixth on the points table with this victory and will hope this is the start of a late surge. That’s all from this game. Double-header Sunday awaits, so do join us for both those contests. Until next time, goodbye and stay safe..

Gaikwad 3/3: (on Karthik Sharma) "Well, yes, obviously a good confidence-booster for him and for us as well. I feel, yes, he is a six-hitter, but I feel he has the other game as well where, he's not someone who's, who goes wild slogging. He's someone who picks and chooses his bowlers, picks and chooses his particular type of deliveries or particular type of bowlers. So he's someone we thought, from the last game, coming in at number four can give us that balance, can play the fast bowler really well. If needed, he can take on the spinners and then, rotate strike as well. So I think, great sign for us. As Mr. Cricket said, the other day that he's someone who, once gets going, he's gonna be giving us a lot more coming years. (on the next game) Well, just keeping it really simple, we try and stress about it, trying to keep things simple. Yes, mistakes are gonna happen, but make sure that we come back really well in the game and make sure we give everything for this jersey, for the shirt, for the fans, who, turn it around every day and night. So, just for them, try and give more than 100 percent."

Gaikwad 2/2: (why no Akeal?) "Well, first of all, we thought, how to get the balance right. We thought, how to get that extra batter at number eight and, if needed, extra bowler as well, and a bit of left-hander, batting down the order as well. So, Veer and Ghosh were the couple of guys who can do both the roles really well. And both of them are youngsters doing really well in the practice games and even in the practice. So I thought, we thought, let's go with them. Let's back them. And, both of them coming at 8 and 9 in the batting department as well, gives a bit of extra cushion and, both can hit, a couple of sixes and, give us that couple of overs as well. So that was the thought process behind it. (on his form) Feels good, definitely, to be there till the end. As I was always saying, I was always feeling well, always feeling confident. It's just that T20 cricket, one of those days where, you hit a good shot, straight into the hands and, bit here and there, you get those boundaries or sixes. So I knew I was in a good frame of mind, thanks to my wife as well, my teammates as well, my management as well. They made sure that I am positive. But, I thought I was really in a good frame of mind and, after that, it was just a matter of time where, once I got in, I had to make sure that I finished the game, which was, lacking a bit for a long time."

Ruturaj Gaikwad | Player of the Match and CSK captain 1/3: "Feels good, actually. I thought we started really well a couple of overs and then, they got a bit of momentum there. I thought after powerplay, we pulled it back really well. I thought, we were chasing 20 to 30 runs less. And after that, it was just about, getting through the first couple of overs and after that just making sure, one of the top three stays till the end and getting the job done. So, feels good, obviously, a big win against a quality side, so obviously it feels good. (on Kamboj and the rest of the bowling group) Well, he's someone who is keeping it really simple, sticking to the process really well, understands, how the pitch is playing. His mind is ticking just like a batsman's mind. So I think that's what stands out for him. And, Noor is someone who just needed a bit of momentum and wickets like this, where he'll come into play. And, since the third game, I think he's made some adjustments and, come along really well. So it's a great sign for us going forward."

Kartik Sharma | Translated from Hindi: (the plan) No sir, I was just thinking that I have to stay there till the end and finish the game for the team. (what did Ruturaj say?) Rutu bhayya just told me to play the game that I know. Nothing else. Just go there, play your game and help the team win. (what is your game?) Sir, this I don't know. (the pitch) The pitch was a little slow today and the spinners were getting some grip, so we adjusted accordingly. (which boundary was his favorite?) No sir, all of them were good. (celebration after the fifty) Yes sir, it was my first inning and my first IPL fifty. (any message in that gun-pointed celebration?) No. So I had planned beforehand that if I scored runs today, I would celebrate like that. (anyone watching you tonight from your family?) No sir, family is at home watching.

Hardik Pandya | MI captain: "Not the season, I feel, not just the night. Yeah, they played better, they bowled better, they fielded better, and they batted better. (180 par for this track?) Yeah, I think at one point of time, we were looking to get around 180, 190. Should have been a good total, but yeah, we could not get the momentum post 10 overs, could not get the finish as well. (reason for not getting 180?) I mean, yeah, it was not easy to go straightaway and kind of play shots, which even their batters, after getting set, they could not really take on the bowlers. It was more about playing calculative cricket and, making sure that we have the right wickets in hand. At the same point of time, batters could not get under the ball, they bowled better. And yeah, just overall as a bowling unit, they were better and as a batting unit, we were not. (should you have been more aggressive with the ball?) I don't know what aggressive we would have been. I think we would have had to throw some fireballs to get them out. But yeah, it was, the bowling option which we had, we went with it and they just played smart cricket. And yeah, they were better."

MI vs CSK in the IPL
2008 to 2011: Even 4-4 in 8 matches
2012 to 2019: MI 13-7 in 20 matches
Since 2020: CSK 9-4 in 13 matches

CSK have won six of the last seven encounters against MI in IPL since 2023.

Eight wickets win is the CSK’s biggest against MI in the IPL.

This is the third time CSK has achieved a league double over MI in an IPL season after 2014, and 2023.

At the age of 20y 6d, Kartik Sharma is the second youngest CSK batter to score an IPL fifty after Ayush Mhatre (17y 291d).

Ruturaj Gaikwad vs MI
Inns: 11
Runs: 380
Avg: 47.5
SR: 150.2
50s: 4

23:12 Local Time, 17:42 GMT: That was a well-paced chase from Chennai Super Kings. They weren’t chasing a massive target, the pitch wasn’t exactly a belter either and their skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad anchored the innings to perfection. Samson couldn’t make the most of an early reprieve and departed in the very same over to Bumrah. Urvil Patel then played a brisk little cameo before dragging one back onto his stumps off Ghazanfar. That brought Kartik Sharma to the crease and he played the perfect supporting hand to his captain. The pair didn’t need to force the issue - they rotated strike smartly, punished the loose deliveries and kept the chase firmly under control throughout. Gaikwad brought up his second successive fifty, while Kartik registered his maiden IPL half-century in a memorable outing. In the end, Mumbai Indians were probably 20-25 runs short. Their bowlers fought hard, but Chennai were simply too composed in the chase. Chennai Super Kings complete the double over Mumbai Indians and bring their campaign back on track. Presentations coming up..