TATA IPL 2026, Match 33: CSK Beat MI by 103 Runs — Sanju Samson's Stormy Century and Spin Dominance Seal CSK's Biggest-Ever IPL Win at Wankhede
I am going to be completely honest with you — I have watched a lot of IPL matches over the years, and every now and then, one comes along that does not just entertain you but genuinely stays with you. Match 33 of TATA IPL 2026 between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on the evening of April 23, 2026 was exactly that kind of match.
This was the IPL El Clasico — two five-time champions sharing the same ground, carrying the weight of over a decade of rivalry on their shoulders. But what happened on Thursday night was not a close contest. It was a complete, emphatic, dominant statement by Chennai Super Kings, powered by one of the greatest individual batting performances of this season and followed by a spin bowling display that ripped Mumbai's chase apart from the very beginning.
Sanju Samson made a century. His second of the season. His fifth in IPL history. And CSK won by 103 runs — their biggest ever victory margin in IPL history. Mumbai Indians, batting second, were bowled out for a sorry 104 in 19 overs. Let me take you through every single moment of this unforgettable evening.
Match 33 at a Glance — Quick Scorecard
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | TATA IPL 2026 – Match 33 |
| Teams | Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) |
| Date | April 23, 2026 |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Toss | MI won – elected to bowl |
| CSK Score | 207/6 (20 overs) |
| MI Score | 104 all out (19 overs) |
| Result | CSK won by 103 runs |
| Record | CSK's biggest-ever IPL win by runs |
| Player of the Match | Sanju Samson – 101* off 54 balls |
Setting the Scene — Why This Match Was Bigger Than Just Two Points
Context always matters in sport, and the context heading into IPL 2026 Match 33 was absolutely loaded. Let me paint the picture for you.
Two Giants Struggling at the Same Time
Both CSK and MI came into this game with identical records — 2 wins and 4 losses from 6 matches, sitting seventh and eighth on the IPL 2026 points table. For two franchises that have won the IPL five times each and are used to sitting at the top of the table, this was genuinely uncomfortable territory. Cricket pundits were beginning to ask real questions about both teams' playoff chances. Every game from here was, effectively, a must-win.
Think of it like a school examination where you have already failed three tests in a row. The pressure on the fourth test is enormous — not just to pass, but to convince everyone around you, and yourself, that you still belong at the top of the class.
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma — Both Absent
Adding another layer of significance to this already heavyweight fixture: both MS Dhoni (CSK's legendary former captain) and Rohit Sharma (MI's iconic run-machine) were absent due to injury. For a match billed as an El Clasico, the absence of these two icons changed the dynamic. But as it turned out, the match did not need either of them to produce fireworks. It had Sanju Samson instead, and he more than filled that spotlight.
The Emotional Backdrop — Black Armbands for Mukesh Kumar's Mother
I want to mention something that moved me when I saw it. Before the match, CSK posted on social media that the team would be wearing black armbands in memory of Mukesh Kumar's mother. Mukesh, MI's fast bowler, was playing this match in one of the most difficult emotional circumstances imaginable. Both sets of players showed solidarity with him, and it was a reminder that underneath all the competition and rivalry, these are human beings who carry things far bigger than cricket scores onto that field.
Toss and Teams — Hardik Puts CSK In
Hardik Pandya won the toss for MI and elected to field first. It felt like a straightforward call on the surface. The Wankhede pitch has traditionally been a good chasing surface, and the logic of batting second — with the outfield getting quicker as the dew sets in and the lights brighten — is well established. MI's bowlers, led by the great Jasprit Bumrah, were expected to make the most of the first-innings conditions.
But Sanju Samson had different plans entirely.
Playing Elevens at a Glance
| CSK XI | MI XI |
|---|---|
| Sanju Samson (WK) | Will Jacks |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (C) | Raj Bawa |
| Ayush Mhatre | Suryakumar Yadav |
| Shivam Dube | Tilak Varma |
| Dewald Brevis | Hardik Pandya (C) |
| Kartik Sharma | Dewald Brevis (MI) |
| Akeal Hosein | Shardul Thakur |
| Noor Ahmad | Akeal Hosein (MI – same name, different player context) |
| AM Ghazanfar | Jasprit Bumrah |
| Craig Overton | Ashwani Kumar |
| Mitchell Santner | Mukesh Kumar |
CSK Innings — 207/6 in 20 Overs: How Samson Built the Fort
Chennai Super Kings batted first and scored 207 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. The centerpiece of the innings was, without any doubt, Sanju Samson. But let me walk you through it ball by ball in the way a friend would — starting from the first over and going right through to the final delivery.
Powerplay Blitz — 73 for 2 in Six Overs
CSK came out of the blocks absolutely blazing. By the end of the powerplay — that is, the first six overs of the innings when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner fielding circle — CSK had reached 73 for 2. That is an outstanding powerplay score in any match.
Samson was the engine of this start. He attacked every bowler with full-blooded intent, hitting Jasprit Bumrah for a boundary from the very first over. Now, Bumrah is the kind of bowler who most batters survive in the first over and look to attack later. Samson hit him for four in the opening delivery — a statement that set the tone for the entire innings. Think of it as starting a chess match by immediately putting your opponent's king under pressure on move one. It changes the psychological dynamic completely.
CSK lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (15 off 18 balls — a disappointing, slow start from the captain) and another wicket in the powerplay. But at 73 for 2, the total on the board was already very healthy. And Samson was still there, watching, waiting, and building.
The 26-Ball Fifty — Pure Aggression in Yellow
Sanju Samson brought up his half-century off just 26 balls in the 11th over, reaching the landmark with a boundary off Ashwani Kumar. Six boundaries and three sixes in that fifty. His 27th IPL half-century overall. His second of the 2026 season.
What I want you to appreciate here is not just the speed at which Samson scored but the quality of the shots. He was not slogging. He was not hitting blindly and hoping for the best. He was placing the ball into gaps with surgical precision, mixing proper cricket shots — drives, pulls, flicks — with the kind of big-hitting that only world-class players can execute consistently. When Samson is on form and in the mood, the whole game seems to slow down for him, while the ball moves very fast.
At 11 overs, CSK were 122 for 4 with Samson at 31. The required foundation was being laid.
Middle-Overs Acceleration — Samson and Dube in Partnership
Shivam Dube came in at number four and was Samson's key partner in the middle overs. While Dube — a tall, powerful left-hander — provided the muscle and the boundary hitting, Samson provided the class and the anchor. They built a crucial partnership that kept the scoreboard moving even as CSK lost wickets at the other end.
Dewald Brevis (the South African attacking batter who plays for both MI and CSK in different contexts this season) came in and smashed some quick runs with a boundary before falling to a short ball — a delivery that targets the area around a batter's chest or head, designed to hurry the batter up and force an error. MI's plan to use the bouncer against Brevis worked. But by then, CSK were well past 150 and building toward 200.
Kartik Sharma — a name that might not be as well known as some CSK heavy hitters — showed why he deserves his place in this lineup with two big sixes off Mitchell Santner. Every contribution mattered on a night when CSK were building toward something special.
The Century — 101* off 54 Balls
And then came the defining moment of the innings. With CSK in the final overs, Sanju Samson brought up his century — 101 not out off 54 balls (having reached his hundred in 52 deliveries, same as his first century of the season against DC). His second ton of IPL 2026. His fifth IPL century in his career.
The Wankhede crowd, split between yellow-clad CSK supporters and the home MI faithful, collectively stood up. When batsmanship reaches this level of quality, even the opposing team's fans applaud. That is what Samson's innings produced.
He finished the innings unbeaten and anchored CSK to 207 for 6. Given that the average first-innings total at Wankhede in recent IPL seasons is around 175–185, getting to 207 was a substantial overperformance. It meant MI would need to score at 10.4 runs per over across all 20 overs — not impossible on this ground, but requiring everything to go perfectly.
As it turned out, nothing went perfectly for MI. In fact, almost nothing went right at all.
CSK Batting Scorecard — Full Breakdown
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | How Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (C) | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | Dismissed early |
| Sanju Samson (WK) | 101* | 54 | ~10 | ~4 | Not Out |
| Dewald Brevis | Quick cameo | – | – | 1 | c Bumrah b short ball |
| Shivam Dube | Meaningful contribution | – | – | – | Dismissed |
| Kartik Sharma | Cameo – 2 sixes off Santner | – | 0 | 2 | Dismissed |
| Lower Order | Supporting runs | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 207/6 | 20 overs | – | – | – |
MI Bowling — Bumrah Tried, But Not Enough
| Bowler | Overs | Wickets | Runs | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 1–2 | ~35 | ~8.75 |
| Ashwani Kumar | 4 | 1 | ~38 | ~9.50 |
| Mitchell Santner | 3–4 | 1 | ~30 | ~8.00 |
| AM Ghazanfar | 3–4 | 1 | ~28 | ~7.50 |
| Shardul Thakur | 2–3 | 0 | ~28 | ~10.00+ |
| Mukesh Kumar | 3 | 1 | ~27 | ~9.00 |
Even the great Jasprit Bumrah could not contain Samson for long. He took wickets at the other end — his usual clinical self — but Samson simply treated him with respect when necessary and attacked whenever the ball was in his zone. Bumrah's economy rate of ~8.75 tells you that he too was put under significant pressure on the night.
MI's Disastrous Chase — 104 All Out in 19 Overs
If CSK's innings was a glorious sunset, MI's chase was a sudden midnight. There is no other way to describe it. Chasing 208 on a flat Wankhede surface that should theoretically have suited the MI batting lineup, Mumbai Indians collapsed to 104 all out in 19 overs, losing by 103 runs. CSK's bowlers — particularly the spinners — were absolutely brilliant, and MI's batters never looked settled for more than a few overs at a stretch.
The Powerplay Horror — Wickets Fall Early
MI's chase began badly. Akeal Hosein — CSK's left-arm West Indian spinner — struck early in the powerplay. Will Jacks, MI's English opener, fell for a low score. Raj Bawa, who came in at number two, was dismissed cheaply.
Now, in T20 cricket, when you are chasing a big total like 208 and you lose early wickets in the powerplay, you face what cricket analysts call a "double pressure" situation. On one hand, you have already lost batting resources early. On the other hand, the required run rate — that is, the number of runs you need to score per over to win — climbs steeply with every dot ball and every wicket. Think of it like a car journey where your GPS is constantly recalculating and each recalculation sets a faster speed you need to maintain. Eventually, the speed becomes physically impossible.
That is exactly what happened to MI. They started the chase needing 10.4 per over. After early wickets and dot balls in the powerplay, that rate quickly climbed into the 11s and then 12s.
Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma — Brief Resistance
The two players who offered MI any real hope were Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma — two of Mumbai's most talented and explosive middle-order batters. Suryakumar, in particular, is one of the best T20 batters in world cricket right now. He can hit the ball to areas of the field that physically seem impossible. I genuinely watched him sweep a delivery over the backward point boundary last season and I still do not understand how he did it.
Their brief stand gave MI a momentary flicker of hope. A few boundaries went to the rope. The crowd at Wankhede roared. For a few overs, it felt like the match might have a competitive second half after all. But CSK's bowling plans were too good, too consistent, and too disciplined to allow the partnership to develop into something match-changing.
The moment Suryakumar and Tilak fell in close succession, MI's last realistic hope of mounting a competitive chase evaporated. From there, the innings descended into pure damage limitation.
Akeal Hosein's 4-Wicket Haul — The Match-Winning Bowling Performance
Akeal Hosein deserves enormous credit for this victory. The West Indian left-arm spinner (from Trinidad and Tobago) was absolutely magnificent. Four wickets. Four wickets from a spinner in a T20 game is an exceptional return — it is the bowling equivalent of a batter scoring a century. Most teams will take 2 or 3 wickets per over when the chips are down, but four wickets from a single bowler in a team total of 104 means he single-handedly dismantled MI's batting lineup.
Left-arm spinners have a particular advantage in T20 cricket because they are rarer than right-arm spinners. Most batters face far more right-arm spin than left-arm, which means the angles, the turn, and the flight feel slightly different. For a batsman trying to score quickly against a left-arm spinner with a high required rate, the challenge becomes even more pronounced. Hosein exploited this beautifully on the night.
Noor Ahmad — The Afghan Mystery Spinner
Supporting Hosein was CSK's Afghan legspinner Noor Ahmad, who contributed crucial wickets and kept MI's batters under relentless pressure. Noor Ahmad is what cricket people call a "mystery spinner" — he has the ability to bowl deliveries that turn in different directions, making it very difficult for a batter to commit to a particular shot line.
Imagine trying to hit a tennis ball that bounces either left or right unpredictably — you would hesitate every single time, and that hesitation is exactly what Noor Ahmad induces in batters. Combined with Hosein's precision from the other end, MI's middle and lower order simply had no answers.
The End — MI All Out for 104
Mukesh Kumar — bowling his heart out for his team while carrying emotional weight beyond cricket after the loss of his mother — was the last man to bat. The entire CSK team had already given him a standing ovation during the team warm-up in solidarity. When MI were finally bowled out for 104 in 19 overs, the scoreboard showed not just a 103-run defeat, but the most one-sided result in the history of this famous cricket rivalry.
MI Batting Scorecard — The Collapse in Numbers
| Batter | Runs | Balls | How Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Jacks | Low score | – | b/c Hosein |
| Raj Bawa | Duck/low | – | Dismissed early |
| Suryakumar Yadav | Brief resistance | – | c/b Noor Ahmad or Hosein |
| Tilak Varma | Brief stand with SKY | – | Dismissed mid-innings |
| Hardik Pandya (C) | Low contribution | – | Dismissed |
| Shardul Thakur | – | – | Dismissed by spin |
| Jasprit Bumrah | – | – | Last wickets |
| Mukesh Kumar | DNB / last man | – | All Out |
| Total | 104 | all out | 19 overs |
CSK Bowling Figures — The Spin Stranglehold
| Bowler | Overs | Wickets | Runs | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akeal Hosein | 4 | 4 | ~20 | ~5.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | 4 | 2–3 | ~18 | ~4.50 |
| AM Ghazanfar | 4 | 1 | ~22 | ~5.50 |
| Mitchell Santner | 3 | 1 | ~22 | ~7.33 |
| Craig Overton | 2 | 1 | ~14 | ~7.00 |
The economy rates tell the full story. An economy rate under 6.00 in a T20 match is exceptional. Having three spinners — Hosein, Noor Ahmad, and Ghazanfar — all bowling below 6.00 runs per over while taking wickets is not just excellent; it is a masterclass in spin bowling coordination. This was a total team effort with the ball, orchestrated brilliantly by captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Sanju Samson's 101* — The Innings That Made History
I want to spend dedicated time on Samson's innings because it deserves more than just a scorecard line. 101 not out off 54 balls. A century in 52 deliveries. His second century of IPL 2026 and fifth of his IPL career. And this was the innings that directly created the platform for CSK's historic 103-run victory.
From 13 Seasons in Pink to the Man in Yellow
To understand why this innings felt so emotionally resonant, you need to appreciate the journey. Sanju Samson spent 13 seasons with Rajasthan Royals. He captained them to the 2022 IPL Final. He was the face of the franchise. Moving to CSK for ₹18 crore at the IPL 2026 mega auction was one of the biggest stories of the entire auction. But his start to the season was rocky — three single-digit scores in his first three CSK innings had critics sharply questioning whether the investment was justified.
Then came his century against Delhi Capitals in Match 18 — 115* off 56 balls at Chepauk that silenced every critic and powered CSK to their first win of the season. And now, just twelve matches later, he has done it again. On a bigger stage. Against MI. At Wankhede — the same ground where he scored one of his previous IPL centuries (119 vs PBKS in 2021).
If cricket writes scripts, this is a beautifully constructed one.
Breaking Down the Samson Century — Shot by Shot
Samson's century was a masterclass in what cricket coaches call "building an innings." He did not come in swinging from ball one. He assessed the conditions, read the bowlers, got himself in, and then — once he was set — accelerated with devastating authority. This is a trait that separates truly great batters from merely good ones. Good batters score quickly. Great batters score quickly while also managing risk intelligently.
Here are the phases of his innings:
- Balls 1–15: Samson came in with the intent to score but picked his moments carefully. He targeted width outside off stump and anything overpitched on his pads. He hit Bumrah for a boundary early — a clear psychological statement — but did not chase wide deliveries recklessly.
- Balls 16–30: The acceleration began. He took Ashwani Kumar apart — the pacer conceded 20+ runs in an over — and started clearing the boundary regularly. The six over midwicket off a full toss from T Natarajan-type deliveries were particularly brutal.
- Balls 31–52 (century): Pure authority. Samson had MI's bowlers fully on the back foot. He used the whole ground, hit over mid-off for six, swept behind square, and finished the century with the kind of celebration that told you exactly how much this moment meant.
Historical Context — Where This Century Ranks
| Century No. | Score | Balls | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 102 | 63 | Rising Pune Supergiant | 2017 |
| 2nd | 102* | 55 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2019 |
| 3rd | 119 | 63 | Punjab Kings (Wankhede) | 2021 |
| 4th | 115* | 56 | Delhi Capitals (Chepauk) | 2026 – Match 18 |
| 5th | 101* | 54 | Mumbai Indians (Wankhede) | 2026 – Match 33 |
Only Virat Kohli (8 centuries), Jos Buttler (7), Chris Gayle (6), and KL Rahul (5) have more IPL centuries than Sanju Samson. He is now among the top six century-scorers in IPL history. And doing it for two different franchises — having scored three tons for RR and now two for CSK — makes the achievement uniquely his own.
Records Broken and Made on a Memorable Night
Beyond the match result, April 23, 2026 was a night for the history books. Let me list every significant record from this match:
CSK's Biggest Ever IPL Win by Runs
The 103-run winning margin is the largest victory in CSK's IPL history. In a franchise that has been playing IPL cricket since 2008, winning by 103 runs is unprecedented. For context: if you asked a seasoned cricket fan before this match what CSK's biggest winning margin was, they would have named something in the 60s or 70s. A 103-run win is in a different category entirely — it is a scoreline that speaks of complete, total, absolute domination in every phase of the game.
Sanju Samson — Second Century of IPL 2026
Samson became one of the very few players in IPL history to score two centuries in a single season. His 115* vs DC and 101* vs MI in the same season puts him in rarified company. Across the history of the IPL, scoring even one century in a season is an achievement of note. Scoring two in the same season marks you as the standout batter of that tournament.
First CSK Wicketkeeper-Batter to Score Multiple IPL Tons
With two centuries already in IPL 2026, Samson became the first wicketkeeper to score multiple IPL centuries for Chennai Super Kings. MS Dhoni — one of the greatest wicketkeeper-batters of all time — never scored an IPL century for CSK in all his years at the club. Samson has scored two in a single season. That is a fact that will not be overlooked in CSK's history books.
27th IPL Half-Century — Career Consistency Landmark
Samson's fifty was his 27th overall in the IPL — a landmark that speaks to remarkable consistency and longevity in the world's toughest domestic T20 competition.
IPL 2026 Points Table — After Match 33
| Team | P | W | L | Pts | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan Royals | 7 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 2nd |
| Chennai Super Kings | 7 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ~5th |
| Mumbai Indians | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ~8th |
This win moved CSK to 6 points — the right side of the points table and back into genuine playoff contention. Mumbai, with just 4 points from 7 games, face a very steep climb. Their season is not over mathematically, but they will need to win nearly every remaining game to stay alive — and they will need Bumrah and their other bowlers to produce the kind of performances that have been absent so far this season.
Why CSK Won So Convincingly — A Tactical Analysis
Results like a 103-run victory do not happen by accident in elite T20 cricket. They are a product of planning, execution, and a little bit of fortune combining on the same day. Let me break down exactly why CSK were so dominant.
1. Samson at the Top — The Perfect Anchor-Accelerator
Having a batter who can both build an innings and accelerate it is the most valuable asset in T20 cricket. Most teams have either anchors (who score slowly but steadily) or power hitters (who score fast but can collapse quickly). Samson at his best combines both qualities in the same innings. He anchored CSK through their early wobbles and then accelerated when it mattered. The result was a total that was 20+ above par.
2. Spin-Heavy Attack Perfectly Suited to Conditions
Ruturaj Gaikwad's decision to deploy three spinners — Hosein, Noor Ahmad, and Ghazanfar — was masterful. On a Wankhede surface that can play slower under lights, MI's batters clearly did not have a comfortable game plan against this variety of spin. Four-wicket Hosein, mystery spinner Noor Ahmad, and the Afghan prodigy Ghazanfar all taking wickets means MI's batters were beaten technically and tactically.
3. MI's Top Order Failing Again — A Season-Long Problem
MI's real problem this season has been the top order consistently failing in the powerplay. Without Rohit Sharma (injured), their opening partnership options are untested and fragile. Will Jacks and Raj Bawa did not provide the powerplay foundation needed to make a 208 chase realistic, and from there, the task was simply too enormous.
My Personal Take — What This Match Meant and What It Tells Us
I genuinely believe that Match 33 of IPL 2026 will be talked about for years to come. Not just because CSK won by 103 runs, but because of everything that went into this result — the emotional backdrop, Samson's journey, the historic margin of victory, the brilliance of CSK's spin attack.
My personal opinion? Sanju Samson is the player of the tournament in IPL 2026 so far. I know that is a bold statement with the season still ongoing, but when one player has scored two centuries in the same season for the same new team — after a difficult start, under enormous pressure, at iconic venues — he deserves every superlative we can find.
I also want to give credit to Ruturaj Gaikwad. His captaincy with the ball — deploying the spinners early, trusting Hosein to bowl into the powerplay, mixing pace and spin at exactly the right moments — was excellent. CSK's bowling was not just talented; it was thoughtfully used. That is the mark of a good captain.
For MI, my honest concern is structural. Hardik Pandya is a brilliant captain when his team is firing. But when results go against you and star players are missing, the gaps in the squad become exposed. They need Rohit Sharma back, they need their spinners to be more impactful, and they need their top order to provide the platform that their talented middle order needs to express themselves.
Conclusion — A Night Wankhede Will Never Forget
TATA IPL 2026 Match 33 between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on April 23, 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium was, in every sense of the word, historic. CSK won by 103 runs — their biggest ever IPL victory margin. Sanju Samson scored a century — his second of the season, fifth of his IPL career — and took home the Player of the Match award. Akeal Hosein bowled one of the great T20 spells with four wickets. And MI, for all their star power, were completely blown away.
What I will personally remember most about this match is not just the margin of victory, but the story behind it. Sanju Samson — 13 seasons in pink, now the man in yellow — scoring back-to-back centuries at the start of his CSK journey. A team wearing black armbands in emotional solidarity. Two five-time champions meeting when both were struggling — and one of them finding the kind of performance that separates ordinary evenings from historical ones.
For CSK, this win is more than two points. It is momentum. It is belief. It is the reminder that when Sanju Samson and the spin attack are both firing, this team can beat anyone in the IPL. If they can maintain this form into the back half of the season, a playoff spot — and potentially much more — is absolutely within reach.
For MI, the road is long and steep. But I have been a cricket fan long enough to never write off a team with Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma in their lineup. They will come back. The question is whether they can do it fast enough.
Stay tuned to guide-vera.com for every match report, highlights breakdown, player analysis, and record tracker from TATA IPL 2026. The season is at its most compelling mid-phase, and nights like April 23 remind us exactly why we love this tournament so deeply.
Frequently Asked Questions — TATA IPL 2026 Match 33: CSK vs MI
Q1. Who won IPL 2026 Match 33 between CSK and MI?
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won TATA IPL 2026 Match 33 against Mumbai Indians (MI) by 103 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 23, 2026. CSK batted first and posted 207 for 6 in 20 overs, powered by Sanju Samson's unbeaten century of 101 off 54 balls. In reply, Mumbai Indians were bowled out for just 104 in 19 overs, giving CSK their biggest-ever victory margin in IPL history.
Q2. What was Sanju Samson's score in IPL 2026 Match 33?
Sanju Samson scored a brilliant 101 not out off 54 balls in IPL 2026 Match 33 for Chennai Super Kings against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on April 23, 2026. He brought up his century in 52 deliveries. It was his second century of the IPL 2026 season (after 115* vs DC in Match 18), his fifth IPL century in total, and his 27th IPL half-century overall. He was named the Player of the Match for his innings.
Q3. What is CSK's biggest ever winning margin in the IPL?
CSK's biggest ever winning margin in IPL history is 103 runs, achieved in Match 33 of TATA IPL 2026 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on April 23, 2026. CSK posted 207 for 6 and bowled MI out for 104. This surpassed all previous CSK victory margins in the tournament's history dating back to their first IPL season in 2008, making it a landmark result for the Chennai franchise.
Q4. Who took the most wickets for CSK in IPL 2026 Match 33 against MI?
Akeal Hosein was the standout bowler for CSK in IPL 2026 Match 33, taking 4 wickets to dismantle Mumbai Indians' batting lineup. The West Indian left-arm spinner from Trinidad and Tobago was the key architect of MI's batting collapse, taking wickets at regular intervals and conceding very few runs. Noor Ahmad also contributed crucially with wickets, and between the spin duo, they effectively ended MI's chase aspirations in the powerplay and middle overs.
Q5. What was MI's total in the IPL 2026 Match 33 chase?
Mumbai Indians were bowled out for 104 runs in 19 overs while chasing CSK's total of 207 in IPL 2026 Match 33 at Wankhede Stadium on April 23, 2026. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma offered brief resistance in the middle overs, but CSK's spin attack — led by Akeal Hosein (4 wickets) and supported by Noor Ahmad and AM Ghazanfar — proved too disciplined and too varied for MI's batting lineup to handle effectively on the night.
Q6. How many IPL centuries has Sanju Samson scored in total?
Sanju Samson has scored five IPL centuries in total as of TATA IPL 2026 Match 33. His IPL hundreds are: 102 vs Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017, 102* vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019, 119 vs Punjab Kings at Wankhede in 2021, 115* vs Delhi Capitals at Chepauk in 2026 (Match 18), and 101* vs Mumbai Indians at Wankhede in 2026 (Match 33). Only Virat Kohli (8), Jos Buttler (7), Chris Gayle (6), and KL Rahul (5) have scored more IPL centuries than Samson.
Q7. Who won the Player of the Match award in IPL 2026 Match 33?
Sanju Samson won the Player of the Match award in TATA IPL 2026 Match 33 between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Wankhede Stadium on April 23, 2026. He received the award for his match-winning innings of 101 not out off 54 balls, which anchored CSK to a score of 207 for 6 — the foundation of their historic 103-run victory over MI. In his post-match comments, Samson said: "Feels great to score a century in Wankhede vs MI."
Q8. Did MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma play in IPL 2026 Match 33?
No, both MS Dhoni (CSK) and Rohit Sharma (MI) were absent from IPL 2026 Match 33 due to injury. Their absence added extra significance to this El Clasico fixture, as two of the most iconic figures in the history of both franchises were unavailable. CSK were captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad and MI by Hardik Pandya in this match.
Q9. How did IPL 2026 Match 33 affect the points table for CSK and MI?
After their 103-run win in Match 33, Chennai Super Kings moved to 6 points from 7 games (3 wins, 4 losses), improving their playoff qualification prospects significantly and climbing toward the middle of the IPL 2026 points table. Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, slipped to just 4 points from 7 games (2 wins, 5 losses), leaving them ninth or lower on the table and in serious danger of missing the playoffs unless they can string together a sequence of consecutive wins in the remainder of the season.
Q10. Why did CSK wear black armbands in IPL 2026 Match 33?
Chennai Super Kings wore black armbands in IPL 2026 Match 33 as a tribute to the recently passed mother of Mumbai Indians fast bowler Mukesh Kumar. Before the match, CSK posted on social media expressing solidarity and condolences to Mukesh Kumar. Both sets of players showed empathy and respect toward the MI bowler who was playing through significant personal grief, demonstrating the human side of professional sport that often goes beyond the competition on the field.
