IPL 2026: Sanju Samson’s 101 powers Chennai Super Kings to 103-run win over Mumbai Indians

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Indians versus Chennai Super Kings contest was built up as a clash of titans. After all, the two teams have served up several classics over 18 seasons of the IPL. On Thursday night, however, CSK reduced the spectacle to a mismatch, bowling MI out for 104 to register a commanding 103-run win at the Wankhede Stadium.

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CSK’s dominance was built on the back of Sanju Samson’s second century of the season, followed by a ruthless bowling effort led by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, who finished with career-best IPL figures of 4 for 17. The result pushed CSK up to fifth on the points table with six points, while MI slipped to eighth with four.

Samson, meanwhile, continued his growing romance with the Wankhede. The last time he played at the venue was during the T20 World Cup semifinal against England in March, when he cracked a 42-ball 89 to top-score for India.

On Thursday, he was once again CSK’s mainstay, steering them to 207 for 6 with a sublime unbeaten 101.

The knock was significant because MI struck at regular intervals on a largely true surface, preventing CSK from running away with the contest. Samson’s 54-ball hundred, embellished with 10 fours and six sixes, came on the same pitch used for that World Cup semifinal, underlining his comfort in familiar conditions.

Youngsters Allah Ghazanfar (2/25) and Ashwani Kumar (2/37) kept MI competitive through the middle overs. Every time CSK threatened to accelerate, the duo provided breakthroughs to haul the scoring rate back.

Unfazed, Samson held one end together. He exploded early, taking 18 off the 19 runs conceded by Hardik Pandya in the fourth over, then pulled a Jasprit Bumrah slower ball for six in the next. Elegance and audacity were the bedrock of his innings, and the cheeky scoop for four off Bumrah late in the slog overs only highlighted it.

Samson finished with a flourish, dismantling young pacer Krish Bhagat for 15 in the 16th over before hammering 16 off the final over to bring up his hundred and propel CSK past 200.

Chasing, MI, unravelled almost immediately on a pitch that got slower. Hosein found turn with the new ball to dismiss Danish Malewar and Naman Dhir for ducks, evoking memories of old Chepauk turners more than Wankhede. A grieving Mukesh Choudhary, who lost his mother on Tuesday, then bowled four dots in a row and had Quinton de Kock chopping on, leaving MI 11 for 3. Suryakumar Yadav (35) and Tilak Varma (37) added 73 for the fourth wicket, but Hosein’s return broke the stand and ended all hopes of a fightback.