Mumbai Indians once again came out on top in IPL’s El Classico. However, the manner of victory is much more to be admired. The defending champions made it two wins in a row in IPL 2021 by chasing down a target of 219 against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.
This win will ensure that Mumbai Indians remain in the race for finishing at the top of the table. They are just two points away from the top spot. Meanwhile, CSK’s winning run of five games comes to an end, but they remain on track to clinch qualification for the next round. Here are key takeaways from another entertaining high scoring game in IPL 2021.
Victory against CSK will kickstart IPL 2021 for Mumbai Indians
Hardik Pandya admitted in the post-match interview that Mumbai has arrived in the tournament at the right time. He is absolutely spot on. A victory of such margin will give Mumbai Indians to go on a long winning run after difficult few games in Chennai. The track in Delhi also suits them while chasing, so it could be warning signs for other teams in IPL 2021.
Apart from the victory, the manner of win will give much more confidence to the entire. The chase looked dead and buried when Mumbai was reduced to 81/3 at the halfway stage of the innings. However, Kieron Pollard went on to score 87 runs in 34 balls to help MI get over the line. The dressing room will be bouncing after such a victory, so it will not be a big surprise if they deliver more complete performances in the next few games.
CSK batting unit continues to get better
Even though it was a bitter defeat for CSK, there were some big positives to take from this game. CSK’s batting unit keeps getting better as more batsmen are hitting form at the crucial juncture of the season. Faf du Plessis continued to churn out half-centuries, while Moeen Ali thrives in the number three role.
Ambati Rayudu has not got playing time this season due to the brilliance of batsmen above him. However, he lit up Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday by smashing 72 runs in 27 balls. It was a match-winning innings, but unfortunately, CSK couldn’t defend the total. However, the batting prowess of CSK keeps getting better with every passing game.
Mumbai Indians should focus on playing consistent XI
The last two games have seen Mumbai experimenting with the lineups instead of playing the best XI. The dropping of Ishan Kishan looked puzzling as all Mumbai Indians batter are finding form on a much better wicket in Delhi. He provides much-needed impetus at number four, so the team management should back him longer to get out of this poor run of form.
From the next game, Mumbai should revert to the combination that reaped rewards for them last season. Having two overseas pacers along with Kishan in the middle order makes them a much better team. MI needs to go for the kill in the remaining games to finish in the top two of IPL 2021, so playing the best team should be on the agenda.