With an eye on the much-awaited final, heavyweights Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face-off in a high-voltage clash in the first qualifier of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium here on Tuesday. A win for either team on Tuesday will ensure a place in the tournament’s final at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on May 24, whereas the losing side will get a second chance to prove it’s worth. It will face, in the second qualifier in Ranchi on May 22, the winner of the eliminator to be played on May 20 between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The two teams met twice earlier in the season where both teams won one mach each. On April 17 in Mumbai, CSK won the match by six wickets. Chennai posted 189/4 in 16.4 overs in reply to Mumbai’s 183. In the return leg on May 8 in Chennai, Mumbai won by six wickets. The home side posted 158 after opting to bat. Mumbai chased this down with four balls remaining. On Tuesday, the 2010 and 2011 champions CSK will have to come up with a new opening combination as hard-hitting New Zealander Brendon McCullum departed to join his national squad to play in Test series against England starting May 21.The Kiwis scored 436 runs from 14 games and will be sorely missed. But veteran batsman Michael Hussey, who opened with McCullum against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Saturday, is likely to replace the New Zealander. West Indian batsman Dwayne Smith will be back into the squad to open with the bat.
