IPL 2026: Ruturaj Gaikwad masterclass sinks MI as CSK keep playoff hopes alive
Chennai Super Kings secured a vital eight-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians, bolstered by a disciplined bowling attack led by Noor Ahmad and Anshul Kamboj. Ruturaj Gaikwad's unbeaten 67 anchored the chase, with strong support from Kartik Sharma, ensuring CSK's playoff hopes remain alive while pushing MI further down the table.
Chennai Super Kings delivered a complete performance to defeat Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in a crucial IPL 2026 encounter at Chepauk, keeping their playoff hopes alive while pushing their rivals further down the table. The foundation of the win was laid by a disciplined bowling effort, led by Noor Ahmad, who returned impressive figures of 2 for 26 from his four overs. He was well supported by Anshul Kamboj, who picked up 3 for 32, as MI were restricted to 159 for 7 after being put in to bat.
MI’s innings never really found fluency. Naman Dhir top-scored with a 57 off 37 balls, but lacked support from the rest of the lineup. Captain Hardik Pandya struggled to accelerate, managing just 18 off 23 balls, reflecting the visitors’ difficulties in building momentum.
The innings had its moments early on. Ryan Rickelton looked dangerous, striking consecutive sixes off Mukesh Choudhary and later taking on Prashant Veer with three maximums in an over. MI reached 57 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, but the momentum didn’t last.
CSK struck back quickly. Rickelton fell to Noor Ahmad, while Suryakumar Yadav, after a brisk 21 off 12 balls, failed to convert his start and was dismissed by debutant Ramakrishna Ghosh, who claimed his maiden IPL wicket. Tilak Varma also departed cheaply, top-edging a sweep to skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad.