IPL 2026: CSK beat Mumbai Indians by 8 wickets to boost playoff prospects

Chennai Super Kings delivered a clinical all-round performance to outclass Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in a crucial IPL clash on Saturday, significantly boosting their playoff hopes.

Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad led a disciplined bowling effort as CSK restricted a below-par MI to 159/7. Noor returned impressive figures of 2/26, while Anshul Kamboj starred with 3/32. For MI, Naman Dhir top-scored with 57 off 37 balls, while skipper Hardik Pandya struggled for fluency, managing 18 off 23 deliveries.

Chasing 160, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad led from the front with an unbeaten 67 off 48 balls. He was well supported by Kartik Sharma (54* off 40) and Urvil Patel (24 off 12) as the hosts comfortably chased down the target.


In the chase, Sanju Samson started briskly with a couple of boundaries but was dismissed early by Jasprit Bumrah, who produced a superb outswinger to find the edge, with Ryan Rickelton completing the catch.

Gaikwad then took charge, smashing Trent Boult for a six as CSK raced ahead. Urvil Patel also provided quick runs, taking on Krish Bhagat with two sixes and a four. Though AM Ghazanfar dismissed Patel, Gaikwad and Sharma ensured there were no further hiccups in the chase.

Earlier, Mukesh Choudhary set the tone with a tight opening over, while Kamboj struck early to dismiss Will Jacks, courtesy of a stunning catch by Ramakrishna Ghosh.

Rickelton counterattacked with a flurry of sixes, while Dhir anchored the innings. The duo added valuable runs during the powerplay, taking MI to 57/1. However, Noor removed Rickelton, and Ghosh dismissed Suryakumar Yadav for 21, denting MI’s progress.

Tilak Varma also fell cheaply, and despite Dhir’s resistance, MI failed to accelerate in the latter stages. CSK’s bowlers kept things tight, ensuring the visitors never gained momentum and finished with a below-par total.