What

Match 27 of VIVO IPL 2018 will see a clash between a team at the top of the standings and a team occupying the floor of the eight-team table. The Chennai Super Kings are currently placed at the top of the standings with five wins from 6 matches, while their opponent Mumbai Indians’ numbers are just the opposite – five losses from six matches – and hence are placed at the other end of the table.

CSK have won matches from improbable situations. Four of their five wins have been last over finishes: one match was sealed off the last ball of the match, two matches were sealed with one ball remaining to be bowled, and their most-recent match against RCB was sealed with two balls to spare.

If only MI were able to execute the climax-stage performance as well as CSK, they would’ve been sitting with five wins out of six. The defending champions have finished at the wrong side of 4 last over finishes. MI face the challenge of having to bounce back from their poorest performance ever; in their previous match against SRH, they were shot out for 87 – their lowest-total in the IPL.

CSK are on a roll having won three matches on the bounce. Can they add one more win to their kitty and firm up their position at the top of the table? MI need to start making a move up the ladder, now. They started the season with a harrowing defeat to this very opposition. Can they return the favour and clinch their second set of two points this season?

When

28 April 2018, 2000Hrs (IST)

Where

Maharashtra Cricket Association’s International Stadium, Pune

Impact Batsmen

The Orange Cap holder Ambati Rayudu has been an unlikely hero for the Chennai Super Kings. Over the years, Rayudu has been used in a variety of roles: opener, number three, finisher, wicketkeeper-batsman – but all of them in a supporting role. But donning the CSK yellow jersey, Rayudu has adapted to a new role brilliantly and flourished. His last two innings have been among his finest T20 innings – his 82 in the previous match against RCB being his career’s highest score.

Shane Watson has contributed very little with the bat since scoring the century against the Rajasthan Royals, while Suresh Raina has had a mixed season. CSK will expect significant contributions from these two players, particularly because they bat in the top three.

Mumbai Indians too have uncovered a gem in Suryakumar Yadav, who after establishing a reputation as a finisher, is revelling in his new role of opener. In his four innings as opener, the 27-year old has made scores of 53, 0, 72 and 34. MI will need more from the rest of their top four; Evin Lewis and Ishan Kishan have reputations of being destructive batsmen, but they haven’t fired consistently – despite batting ahead of Rohit Sharma, who has an outstanding record at the international level.

Impact Bowlers

The leg-spinner Mayank Markande, MI’s top wicket-taker so far this season, and Jasprit Bumrah, are the two bowlers to watch out for. The two MI bowlers have picked up wickets regularly and have even kept the runs down; Markande has 10 wickets this season – and an economy rate of 7.15, while Bumrah has 8 wickets and an economy rate of 7.38.

CSK will look towards Deepak Chahar to continue his fine form with the new ball; the Agra-born pacer has picked up 6 wickets – all of them in the powerplay overs. Given the big boundaries at this venue, Imran Tahir will also be expected to play a big role for CSK.

Team Head to Head

Overall: Matches – 23, Mumbai Indians won – 12, Chennai Super Kings won – 11

Trivia

The Chennai Super Kings have the best death overs scoring rate in VIVO IPL 2018 – 12.64. Mumbai Indians sit at the other end of the spectrum; their death overs scoring rate of 8.04 is the lowest among all teams.

Mumbai Indians’ run rate in the powerplay this season is 8.38; for the rest of the innings, their scoring rate drops to 8.12.

If MS Dhoni leads CSK onto the field, it will be his 150^th match as captain in the IPL.

Five different players have won the Man of the Match award in CSK’s five wins this season: Dwayne Bravo, Sam Billings, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu and most recently MS Dhoni.

Other than the 102-run opening partnership against the Delhi Daredevils, MI’s opening stands this season read: 7, 11, 0, 1 & 12.

What Next

The Chennai Super Kings’ next is their home match against the Delhi Daredevils, scheduled to be played on April 30. The Mumbai Indians will play the second of their three back-to-back away matches when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru on May 1.