Last Updated on 7 years by Charbel Coorey
Two last start losers will be looking to make amends in IPL 2018’s 50th match. If we don’t see the rubbish MI and especially KXIP dished up in their respective previous games, we could actually see a decent game of cricket!
Mumbai Indians are teasing us. One moment, they look like title contenders, and another, they remind us of why they find themselves in this do-or-die position in the first place. A game against RR at home presented a great opportunity to get into third place, but they didn’t take advantage of the good start their openers gave them, and slumped to a disappointing loss. Can they get it right tonight? They must, as a loss would knock them out of the tournament for good.
As disappointing as MI were at times v RR, it does not even begin to compare with Kings XI Punjab‘s horror show at home to RCB. Forget Hollywood or Bollywood, the KXIP performance was good enough (or bad enough) to sell out tickets to 2018’s blockbuster horror movie in cinemas around the globe. Some tough decisions will have to be made on an underperforming middle order, so expect to see changes today.
Key to a Mumbai Indians win
Watching the MI innings against RR, I couldn’t help but think Rohit Sharma was a little edgy on the sidelines, perhaps hoping his opening pair could score a little quicker. The result was an edgy second half of the innings, with the catalyst the loss of 4/32 off 3.4 overs (including first-ball duck for Rohit) after the openers put on 87 in 10.4.
The key tonight v KXIP will be to have another solid start, and the middle order to take advantage.
Also, a huge key will be whether MI can dismiss KL Rahul and Chris Gayle relatively cheaply. RCB did that, and the result spoke volumes, as KXIP’s middle order is performing about as well as Cheteshwar Pujara is in the English County Cricket competition.
Key to a Kings XI Punjab win
For one man team KXIP, players other than KL Rahul need to stand up and be counted. Their performance against RCB, whilst unacceptable, was not a surprise to anyone. Once KL Rahul was dismissed, the fear of KXIP fans and the skepticism of others about KXIP’s chances in this tournament was justified.
Also, their bowlers have left plenty to be desired. Granted, no one is expected to defend 88, but conceding 245 just two days earlier on the same ground against KKR shows that batting isn’t their only worry. R Ashwin has spoken of aggressive, positive captaincy throughout the tournament – he needs to lead his bowlers well in restricting MI as much as possible.
Predicted teams:
Despite their last start loss, MI should stick with the same team. They won four of their previous five matches.
Mumbai Indians XI: 1. Evin Lewis, 2. Suryakumar Yadav, 3. Rohit Sharma (c), 4. Ishan Kishan (wk), 5. JP Duminy, 6. Hardik Pandya, 7. Krunal Pandya, 8. Ben Cutting, 9. Mitchell McClenaghan, 10. Mayank Markande, 11. Jasprit Bumrah
For KXIP, surely David Miller gets a game? Also, no update as yet on whether Mujeeb ur Rahman will play.
Kings XI Punjab XI: 1. KL Rahul, 2. Chris Gayle, 3. Mayank Agarwal, 4. Karun Nair, 5. Aaron Finch, 6. David Miller, 7. Axar Patel, 8. R Ashwin, 9. Andrew Tye, 10. Mohit Sharma, 11. Ankit Rajpoot
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| Good question, Dale… |
Stats and Facts:
- Head-to-Head: Matches 21, MI 11, KXIP 10
- KXIP have won four of seven matches against MI at the Wankhede.
- KXIP have won just two of their past seven matches to slip out of the top four.
- Rohit Sharma in MI losses averages 6.6 and strikes at 88 per 100 balls. In wins, he averages 73 and strikes at 155 per 100 balls.
- Suryakumar has the most runs by an uncapped Indian in IPL history (473).
- The winner of this game will move to fourth. If MI lose, they are finished for the season.
Prediction:
MI are used to high pressure games of late. This is their very last chance to stay alive in the tournament, and I believe they will stay alive by the end of the night against a KXIP side that looks quite poor at the moment.
