MI vs CSK Preview – Wankhede gears up for an epic El Clásico
Mumbai Indians will host the Chennai Super Kings at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 8 in the 12th match of the Indian Premier League 2023. The IPL El Clasico will witness the arch-rivals square off in what will be the 1000th game of the tournament. While the tournament is in its 16th edition, the clash between MI and CSK will achieve the special feat.
MI and CSK at the IPL garners as much attention as an India vs Pakistan game does. The two teams have put up thrilling performances whenever they’ve met at the cash-rich event, and have given the fans their money’s worth. Mumbai Indians have an upper hand over Chennai Super Kings, having won 20 out of the 34 matches played.
While the game will only be Mumbai’s second match of the tournament, Chennai will be playing their third game. Mumbai suffered a defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their previous contest and are looking for a victory. While on the other hand, Chennai lost their campaign opener but grabbed a sensational victory against Lucknow in their recent game and will be hoping to continue the same momentum.
Pitch and conditions
The wicket at Wankhede typically provides a fair-playing field. While the batters make good amount of runs at the surface, the pacers as well as the spinners get to take advantage of the conditions. Bowlers might get assistance in the powerplay, and the batters can go for the big shots as the pitch wears out.
Venue details: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Last T20 match at the venue: IND- 162/5 (20 overs) | SL- 160/10 (20 overs)
Here’s the probable playing XI for both teams:
Mumbai Indians
Things did not fall in place for Mumbai Indians in their last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore. While the top-order batters failed to put up a show, only Tilak Varma from the middle-order could make a remark.
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings will be riding high on confidence. After a forgettable 2022 season, their skipper MS Dhoni is in tremendous form with the bat, and has contributed brilliantly in the past two games in the death overs. Tushar Deshpande leaked lot of runs with the ball but has shown improvement. The team might go with the same XI.
