All right, finally, the wait is over it’s time for the much-needed action to begin. Mumbai Indian will take on the Chennai Super Kings in the opening clash of IPL 2020. The two heavyweight franchises will renew their epic rivalry once again at Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the opening match of IPL 2020, we bring to you the fantasy cricketing tips for Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings match.
MI has had the wood over Chennai in the last few matches. The Rohit Sharma led side has dominated MS Dhoni and his men in the IPL. Interestingly MI is on a five-match winning streak against the Mumbai Indians. Last year in an epic final, Mumbai Indians defeated the Chennai Super Kings in a last-ball thriller.
Teams Preview
Mumbai Indians will once again bee the odds on favourites against CSK in the opening clash. The defending champs are star-studded in all department. Their top order consisting of Rohit Sharma, Quinton de Kock and Surya Kumar Yadav can single-handedly win matches on their day. But the strength of MI lies in the middle order which consists of Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya and Kieron Pollard which is arguably the best of all IPL teams.
Then comes their bowling attack which again is lethal and has two of the leading fast bowlers in the world. Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult will be spearheading their pace attack this year in the absence of Lasith Malinga. The only weakness that CSK and other teams might look to exploit is their inexperienced spin bowling attack.
MI only has Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya as frontline spinners which can prove to be costly for them in IPL 2020.
Chennai will miss Raina’s service
On the other hand, CSK has a problem of plenty as they will be without their two seasoned campaigners Suresh Raina and Harbhajan. The onus will be on Dhoni to inspire his team once again and deliver the goods in the opening fixture.
Apart from Dhoni, key for CSK will be their all-rounders this season. The likes of Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson and Ravindra Jadeja will have to contribute heavily from the first match itself. CSK also consists of all quality spinners in their rank that might bamboozle MI in the first match.
Piyush Chawla, Imran Tahir and Mitchell Santner are experienced T20 bowlers that won’t be easy to hit on a spinning pitch.
In the batting department, Murali Vijay, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jhadav even without Raina makes them a formidable side.
Also Read: 3 New Picks To Watch Out For In Chennai Super Kings
Head to Head
The two sides have so far played a total of 28 matches where Mumbai Indians has dominated the Chennai Super Kings. The 4-time champs MI has won 17 matches whereas CSK has just won 11 against them.
Match Timings and Venue
The watch will begin at 7:30 IST and will be contested at the picturesque Sheikh Zayed Stadium at Abu Dhabi.
Weather Forecast
The weather during the match at Abu Dhabi is expected to be extremely hot and humid which the players will have to cope throughout IPL 2020. Temperatures are expected to be around 38-degree Celcius which would mean a lot of fluids and energy drinks for the players.
Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings- Fantasy Tips
It is important to pick a balanced side as it will make your team stronger. Now that you can fix your team even after the toss, it makes your job easier.
As it is the first match of a brand new season pick proven match-winners and experienced players from both side. From Mumbai Indians, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah should be automatic picks in your squad.
Whereas from the CSK, Shane Watson and MS Dhoni should be a must in your side. Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo should also feature in your fantasy XI as they contribute in all three departments.
Also Read: Mumbai Indians Reveals Their Opening Partnership For IPL 2020
Predicted Playing 11
Mumbai Indians: Quinton de Kock (WK), Rohit Sharma (C), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Nathan Coulter- Nile.
Chennai Super Kings: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Piyush Chawla, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Imran Tahir.
Pitch Report
Expect spin to play a major part in the match as a total of around 150-160 runs is expected to be match-winning . The ball might now come to the bat after the first power play so expect teams to go hard early and then look to consolidate against the spinners in the middle order.
Match Prediction
Coming into the contest Mumbai Indians have a slight edge over the Chennai Super Kings. However if CSK wins the toss bat first and post a decent total on the board, it won’t be easy for MI to chase down the target against the class of spinners Dhoni has in his arsenal.
Also Read: IPL 2020: Gautam Gambhir Backs Mumbai Indians To Beat Chennai Super Kings