Chennai Super Kings put up an all-round show on Thursday to hand Mumbai Indians a 103-run defeat in their IPL 2026 game at Wankhede Stadium. This turned out to be the biggest loss for MI in IPL history in terms of runs. Sanju Samson scored an unbeaten century as CSK posted 207 for 6 after being invited to bat first. The side kept losing wickets at regular intervals, but Samson’s solid knock (101 not out off 54 balls) ensured a big total. In pursuit of the target, MI were bundled out for 104 in 19 overs, suffering their biggest defeat in terms of runs.
MI captain Hardik Pandya felt that the team’s poor start in the Powerplay cost them dearly. Mumbai were reduced to 11 for 3 in 2.3 overs. Danish Malewar fell for a first-ball duck, Naman Dhir scored a three-ball zero, while Quinton de Kock was dismissed for 7.
Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav showed some resilience with a 73-run partnership, but once it was broken, CSK dominated the contest.
“I think that in the powerplay, losing that early wicket is always going to be tricky. You are always chasing the game and we could not cope after that,” said Hardik Pandya.
In the first innings, Samson smashed the MI bowlers all around the park to score his second century of the season. His innings was laced with 10 fours and six sixes.
When asked if the pitch changed in the second innings, Hardik came up with an honest admission, “I would not say that. I’m not someone who would like to say that. They batted well, they scored 207. It was the same track, it is the same soil. We should have just batted well.”
Allah Ghazanfar was the pick of the bowlers for MI with figures of 2 for 25, while CSK spinner Akeal Hosein stood out with a four-wicket haul (4 for 17) in the second innings.
“I think even our spinners bowled pretty well. It’s just that Sanju played an outstanding knock. At the same point of time, their batters kept coming and kind of chipping in and got them to a decent total. I think more than a decent total on that track. For us to chase this down, we needed to have a good powerplay and the momentum had to be with us, but that could not happen,” said Hardik.
MI now need to win six of their remaining seven matches to make a comfortable entry into the playoffs. They face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next game on April 29.
When asked if there could be a chance in the Playing XI in the next game, Hardik said, “I think that will be the chat where we will go back to again, go forward and figure out what we need to do. We have a couple of days. We just need to see what we can do best.”