Sanju Samson laid the foundation by bettering his T20 World Cup semifinal heroics at the Wankhede Stadium with his second hundred of IPL 2026. And Akeal Hosein’s sensational spell sealed the deal as the marquee clash between the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings turned into a cakewalk for the visitor here on Thursday.

Samson’s fifth IPL hundred, coupled with Akeal producing arguably the spell of the season, left MI on the mat as CSK registered a thumping 103-run win. After posting 207 for six, CSK bundled MI out for 104 in 19 overs with little fuss, the chase never quite taking off.

He couldn’t find a place in Mumbai’s XI for the first three games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Lucknow last November. And when Suryakumar Yadav finally told Sarfaraz Khan after the turn of the month he would play against Assam, the latter had a request.

“Let me bat at No. 3, please,” Sarfaraz is understood to have said — a spot Suryakumar himself preferred in Mumbai colours.