MI vs CSK, IPL's El Clasico: A Look at the Epic Rivalry

The highly anticipated Indian Premier League clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings is set to be held today at Wankhede Stadium. Over the seasons, the contest between the two teams has become one the biggest rivalries in the league’s history. They are the joint most successfull teams in the history of the competition, having won the title five times each.

This will be the 37th time that they will be locking horns in IPL.

This time, however, neither Rohit Sharma nor MS Dhoni will be leading either of the two sides. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Hardik Pandya have now taken up the mantle from their seniors to lead Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians respectively into a new era.

The term El Clasico originates from the biggest rivalry in Spanish football – FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid. Translating to the ‘The Classic’ in English, El Clasico is one of the most awaited clashes of the year. It attracts the attention of fans, experts and football fanatics from across the world. The term has grown so popular amongst sports enthusiasts that it transcended the boundaries of football long ago, making its way to other sports. Naturally, the rivalry between MI and CSK now if often termed as IPL’s El Clasico.

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The two franchises have squared off for a total of 36 times. MI currently have an advantage over their rivals in the head-to-head with 20 wins, compared to Chennai Super Kings’ 16.

They have faced each another in four IPL finals. The first one was played between the two sides in the 2010 season at the DY Patil Stadium. CSK won that match by 22 runs. The remaining three finals were won by the Mumbai-based franchise in 2013, 2015 and 2019.

In the tournament’s history, CSK have played a total of 10 finals whereas MI have competed in six.

In the ongoing season, CSK are currently in the third place on the points table with three wins in five matches whereas MI are seventh with two wins. While CSK might be looking slightly better in form, Sunday’s affair will likely be an even contest between two of the tournament’s most successful sides.