In one of the most anticipated clashes of IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium delivered high drama, with Sanju Samson stealing the spotlight with a century. Playing for CSK in this high-voltage encounter, Samson registered his second hundred of the season, anchoring the innings with remarkable composure and intent.

After a slow start to the tournament—where he managed just 22 runs in his first three innings—Samson has bounced back in style. This knock was a statement of intent. From the moment he walked in, he looked in complete control, timing the ball beautifully and pacing his innings like a seasoned campaigner. His ability to shift gears at the right time stood out, especially in the death overs.

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Heading into the final over on 85, Samson showcased his finishing prowess by smashing 16 runs off Krish Bhagat to bring up his century in style. He remained unbeaten on 101 off 54 balls, guiding Chennai Super Kings to a competitive 207/6 in their 20 overs. His knock not only lifted CSK past the 200-run mark but also underlined his growing importance in the batting lineup.

With this milestone, Samson became the first player to score two centuries in IPL 2026 and joined an elite list as only the fifth Indian batter to achieve this feat in a single IPL season. Remarkably, this was also his fifth score of 89 or more in T20 cricket over the last two months, highlighting a purple patch in form.

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CSK’s innings had its ups and downs. Ruturaj Gaikwad started positively but failed to convert his start, while wickets kept falling at regular intervals. A quick cameo from Dewald Brevis added momentum briefly, but it was Samson who held the innings together. Among the bowlers, Allah Ghazanfar impressed with figures of 2/25, but the night ultimately belonged to Samson’s brilliance.

Samson has to do 3 jobs in this Mokka batting line up CSK team

Opener
Middle order
Finisher
Slogger

— Sakthi (@Sakthi297) April 23, 2026

great innings by samson

— sanjeev Dsr (@Varisuthehunter) April 23, 2026

Sanju ‘RUN MACHINE’ Samson becomes the first player to hit 2 centuries in #IPL2026. This is his 5th 89+ score in T20s in the last 8 weeks. I’ve never seen a player who has gone big so consistently in this format, but that’s what sets #SanjuSamson apart from others.#MIvCSK… pic.twitter.com/bsV6xJQcRk

— Tejan Shrivastava (@BeingTeJan) April 23, 2026

Sanju -101*- Samson 🫡🔥#tataipl2026 #iplt20 #mivcsk#csk #mi

— Mr.KalyanPSPK61🔥😎 (@kalyanpspk61) April 23, 2026

🚨 Sanju Samson is only the 5th Indian batter EVER to score 2 centuries in a single IPL season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ObWqcu76Lm

— TheWicketReport (@WicketReport) April 23, 2026

CHETTA IN LAST 4 GAMES FOR CSK:💛

115* (56) vs Delhi Capitals.
48 (32) vs Kolkata Knight Riders.
7 (3) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad.
101* (54) vs Mumbai Indians.

First 3 matches for CSK – 22 runs.
Next 4 matches for CSK – 271 runs.

SAMSON IS RULING IN THIS SEASON. GOOD TRADE… pic.twitter.com/FAS19J2SoN

— Danish (@BhttDNSH100) April 23, 2026

He has been a lone warrior for CSK. He is batting Brilliantly Under Pressure. He is showing is Class. CSK’S batting heavily depends on Sanju Samson. He is in Sublime form

— Shivansh rajpal (@RajpalShiv46534) April 23, 2026