IPL 2019, Qualifier 1: MI vs CSK – A golden opportunity awaits for the giants!
Two of the most successful teams in the history of the IPL, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will clash in Qualifier 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The two teams who finished at the top of the table in the group stages will now have a golden opportunity to seal a place in the final of IPL 2019 to be played in Hyderabad.
Both the teams have won the IPL three times and are two of the most glamorous outfits in the tournament. They have been the two best teams this season, occupying the top two slots on the table. The winner of the contest will qualify directly to the final, while the loser will still get one more crack by competing in Eliminator 2.
Here we take a look at a few talking points ahead of the high-octane clash in Chennai:
CSK’s dominance at the Chepauk
Chennai have enjoyed a superlative season back in their own den this campaign. In the 7 matches played at the Chepauk, CSK have managed to win 6 of them, hardly giving the opposition a sniff. Their spin bowling attack has wonderfully exploited the slow and low nature of the pitch and batsmen have found it extremely difficult to score against them. MS Dhoni is a master at maneuvering his spinners around and his calculative decision making has been a big asset for Chennai. Their fortress at the Chepauk has been only breached once this season. Any guesses on which team achieved the feat? Yes, that’s right! It was the Mumbai Indians. The Men in Blue managed to seal a comfortable 46 run victory when the two sides faced off on April 26th.
MI’s superior record against CSK
For a team brimming with such quality, CSK over the years have always struggled against the Mumbai Indians. The two teams have faced off 26 times in the IPL. Mumbai Indians have won 15 of those encounters, with Chennai winning only 11. Even in Chennai, where CSK are so utterly dominant, MI can boast of having a better record. At the Chepauk, the two teams have faced off 7 times, with MI winning 5 matches and CSK only winning 2. MI have a perfect record against CSK this year, doing the double over their eternal rivals. Time for CSK to up their game and turn the tide?
Battle of the inspirational skippers
No one wields more influence on their franchises as much as MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma do over CSK and MI respectively. The two leaders have led their franchises to three IPL triumphs each and there will undoubtedly be a battle of supremacy between the two of them. Sharma and Dhoni are two of the most tactically astute and shrewd leaders in the tournament and their imprints are visible all over their teams. Statistically, MS Dhoni has had one of the better tournaments of his career, scoring 368 runs in 12 matches at a staggering average of 122.66. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma compared to his own high standards, has had a mediocre tournament, scoring 386 runs in 13 matches, despite batting at the top of the order. But in the contest against KKR, Rohit seemed to be back at his elegant best, stroking a brilliant half-century. Watching Dhoni and Sharma marshaling their troops will certainly be a delight to watch, with the stakes at an all-time high.
