IPL 2020: How Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians have fared in tournament openers in past
IPL 2020: Mumbai Indians have featured in the most number of Indian Premier League openers in the history of the tournament. Chennai Super Kings are heading into the 13th edition, having won the campaign opener in the last 2 seasons.
In Short
- Mumbai Indians have managed to win only 2 out of their 6 IPL opening matches
- CSK and MI have met 3 times in IPL tournament openers in the past
- MI lost to KKR when they featured in the tournament opener in Abu Dhabi in 2014
After a 5-month delay, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 kickstars in the UAE with a marquee opening match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. It's not the Wankhede or the Chepauk which will see the resumption of one of the most-followed rivalries but Abu Dhabi will host the season opener as the tournament was moved out of India due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
IPL 2020 could not have asked for a better start, considering the history between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. At one point in time, there were doubts over CSK's availability for the opening match due to the Covid-19 concerns in their camp but the 3-time champions are set to play the curtain-raiser.
As we gear up for another episode of what is being dubbed as the 'El Clasico' of IPL, here's a look at how the two teams have performed in tournament openers in the past.
IPL 2009 - CSK vs MI
Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians met for the first time in a tournament opener in 2009. The usual suspects stepped up to jolt the then runners-up in Cape Town.
Sachin Tendulkar's 49-ball 59 and Sanath Jayasuriya's quickfire start helped Mumbai Indians seal a 19-run win. Defending 166, Lasith Malinga and Jayasuriya picked up 5 wickets as CSK were restricted to 146 despite handy contributions from Matthew Hayden, MS Dhoni and Andrew Flintoff.
IPL 2011 - CSK vs KKR
Chennai Super Kings, this time around, were victorious in the tournament opener against Kolkata Knight Riders. The then defending champions rode on Srikkanth Anirudhha's 55-ball 64 and late cameos from MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina on a slow MA Chidambaram wicket to clinch a 2-run win over Gautam Gambhir's revamped team.
Spinners R Ashwin, Suraj Randiv, Shadab Jakati and Suresh Raina spun a web around KKR.
IPL 2012 - CSK vs MI
It was Chapter 2 of Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in tournament openers, this time at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The home team were bowled out cheaply for 112 after Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard and Pragyan Ojha shared 6 wickets between them. None of the CSK batsman, barring Suresh Raina, managed to get past the 20-run mark.
In response, Richard Lavi smashed a quickfire fifty to hand Sachin Tendulkar's team 2 points.
IPL 2014 - MI vs KKR
Mumbai Indians were once again involved in an opening match of the tournament. This time, they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by 41 runs in Abu Dhabi, which will also host the opening match of IPL 2020.
Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey hit fifties as KKR posted 163 for 5 despite a middle-order collapse triggered by Lasith Malinga. However, Sunil Narine stepped up and picked up 4 wickets to help KKR restrict MI to 122.
Notably, MI went on to lose all 5 matches in the UAE leg of IPL 2014.
IPL 2015 - KKR vs MI
In a repeat of the previous year's opening match, Kolkata Knight RIders beat Mumbai Indians again. The action shifted to Eden Gardens in Kolkata and Rohit Sharma's brilliant 98 went in vain as KKR gunned down a 169-run target.
Captain Gautam Gambhir hit a fifty while Manish Pandey and Suryakumar Yadav chipped to help KKR begin their title defence with a win.
IPL 2016 - MI vs RPS
Mumbai Indians featured in yet another tournament opener, this time against MS Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiant. The now-defunct team got their campaign off to a good start at the Wankhede Stadium as an all-round bowling effort saw MI getting restricted to 121 in 20 overs.
MI were reeling at 51 for 6 before Harbhajan Singh top-scored with 45. His effort was not enough as RPS gunned down the total in just 14.4 overs.
IPL 2018 - MI vs CSK
The stage was set for another cracker as CSK, returning from their 2-year suspension, took on the then holders Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
MS Dhoni's men made sure they gave their fans some nail-biting moments as they were reeling at 118 for 8 in chase of 166.
However, it was a Dwayne Bravo special (68 from just 30 balls) that helped CSK win the thriller by 1 wicket. Kedar Jadav, who had retired hurt earlier in the game, walked out in the final over to hit the winning runs and help CSK announce their return in style.
IPL 2019 - CSK vs RCB
Chennai Super Kings decimated Royal Challengers Bangalore in one of the most one-sided contests of IPL in the opening match of IPL 2019.
On a Chepauk pitch that was heavily criticised by both the captains, Virat Kohli's men were bundled out for 70. Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja picked up 8 wickets between them, jolting RCB for whom Parthiv Patel was the only scorer in double-digits.
CSK clinched an emphatic 7-wicket win in the tie.
CSK and MI: Numbers in IPL openers
| Teams | No of tournament openers | Matches won | Matches lost |
| Mumbai Indians | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 5 | 3 | 2 |
CSK vs MI: Head to head record in IPL openers
| No of CSK vs MI IPL openers | CSK won | MI won |
| 3 | 1 | 2 |
Overall Head-to-Head in IPL: Played 28; MI won - 17, CSK won - 11