The Mumbai Indians (MI) are among the most successful franchises within the world's top T20 league, the Indian Premier League (IPL). They are the only franchise to win the IPL title in India and abroad. Mumbai Indians were the first to win IPL titles five times and now hold the joint record for most IPL trophies along with Chennai Super Kings. Moreover, MI have secured two more now-defunct Champions League T20 trophies.
Considering this number, one can accept that the Mumbai-based franchise would have vanquished all of their rivals. However, the same isn't the case. Mumbai Indians battled a bit within the Champions League T20. Moreover, there's one team that played in the IPL and featured a 100% win record against MI. In this article, we'll see the five teams MI have confronted but never defeated.
1) Kochi Tuskers Kerala
Kochi Tuskers Kerala played within the 2011 version of the Indian Premier League. Whereas the group did not qualify for the playoffs, KTK oversaw a win against the prevailing Mumbai Indians team. In their only meeting in IPL history, MI captain Sachin Tendulkar scored a century and fuelled MI to 182/2 in 20 overs. However, Brendon McCullum, Mahela Jayawardene, and Ravindra Jadeja's heroics made a difference as KTK chased the 183-run target in 19 overs. McCullum won the Player of the Match award for his 60-ball 81.
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2) Lahore Lions
It might shock a couple of new generation fans, but Pakistan's Lahore Lions have a 100% win record against the Mumbai-based franchise. Mumbai and Lahore fought in the qualifiers of the Champions League T20 2014.
Kieron Pollard captained the Mumbai Indians in that match. MI scored 135/7 in their 20 overs, and Umar Akmal's 18-ball 38 not out helped the Lahore-based team to win by six wickets within the 19th over.
3) New South Wales
Mumbai Indians locked horns with the New South Wales team during the 2011 version of the Champions League T20. NSW had numerous huge names of Australia in their playing XI.
The likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Stuart Clark confined MI to 100/7 in 20 overs at Chepauk. In reply, Steve Smith's 45 not out made a difference as NSW chased the 101-run target in 17 overs, with five wickets in hand.
4) South Australia Redbacks
Another Australia-based team that has a 100% win record against Mumbai Indians is the South Australia Redbacks. The Redbacks crossed paths with MI during the 2010 Champions League T20 event.
Batting first, MI scored 180 runs at the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs. In reply, the opening partners Michael Klinger and Daniel Harris' half-centuries powered the Redbacks to a successful chase in 19.3 overs after losing five wickets. Harris won the Player of the Match award for his 37-ball 56 runs.
5) Sydney Sixers
Big Bash League team Sydney Sixers faced off against MI within the 2012 Champions League T20. Steve Smith's run-a-ball 41 runs helped the Sixers post 136 runs on the board at the end of the first innings.
Sydney had players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Steve O'Keefe in their lineup. They effectively guarded the target by restricting MI to 124/8 in their 20 overs. This meeting was the only one challenge between Mumbai and the Sydney-based franchises. It'll be curiously to see on the off chance that the fans get to witness another match between these two groups in the future.
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