Kartik Sharma made history in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
Kartik, 20 years and 6
days, became the second youngest CSK batter to score an IPL fifty after Ayush Mhatre (17 years 291 days).
IPL 2026 | Schedule | Results | Orange Cap | Purple Cap
CSK Do The Double Over MI
Chasing 160, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad remained unbeaten on 67 off 48 balls, while youngster Kartik Sharma registered his maiden IPL fifty with an unbeaten 40 as CSK sealed victory with 11 balls to spare. Kartik shared a match-winning 98-run stand with Gaikwad for the third wicket, keeping the chase firmly under control through smart strike rotation and timely boundaries.
Earlier, brisk starts from Sanju Samson and Urvil Patel provided early momentum for CSK before Jasprit Bumrah and AM Ghazanfar picked up a wicket each. However, MI failed to maintain sustained pressure as Gaikwad and Kartik batted with composure and authority. The win completed CSK’s league double over MI for the third time, after 2014 and 2023, and also marked their biggest-ever IPL victory against their arch-rivals.
Praise And Celebration
After the match, Kartik Sharma revealed what his skipper told him
“Rutu bhayya just told me to play the game that I know. Nothing else. Just go there, play your game and help the team win,” Kartik Sharma was quoted as saying.
Gaikwad too praised his young star, saying: “Good confidence booster for him and us as well. Yes, he is a six-hitter but he has the other game as well, but he picks and chooses particular deliveries.”
Kartik Sharma also recreated MS Dhoni’s gunpoint celebration after reaching his fifty.
When asked about it, he said: “It was my first inning and my first IPL fifty. So I had planned beforehand that if I scored runs today, I would celebrate like that.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
