If there was to be a contest that’s actually a no-contest based on the form and record of teams in the Indian Premier League’s 2020 edition, this is the one.
It appears so much of a mismatch, at least before the toss, on virtually every count. Mumbai Indians’ comprehensive 48-run win against Kings XI Punjab in Abu Dhabi in the first face-off of the teams this year tilted the head-to-head record 14-11 in Mumbai's favour.
The build-up
But that’s as close as the teams can get. Otherwise Mumbai - on a five-match winning streak - has won six of its eight games, whereas it’s inverse when it comes to Kings XI's win-loss record this year. No wonder that Mumbai has consistently been among the top two teams on the table, whereas Kings XI has occupied the eighth slot in standings for a while.
READ|
Despite K.L. Rahul and Mayank Agarwal’s heroics at the top of the order, Kings XI has finished second in each of their contests barring the two against Royal Challengers Bangalore. And it’s their second win after a string of losses in its last encounter that has kept their campaign alive. Captain Rahul and his bunch will be keen to upset the defending champion and give their head coach Anil Kumble a perfect birthday gift a day after he turned 50.
The key men
For it to happen, however, both Rahul and Agarwal will have to ensure at least one of them bats out the innings, irrespective of whether the set or chase target, to be competitive. This would mean the duo, along with Chris Gayle at No. 3, will have to weather Jasprit Bumrah’s storm.
Besides, in the earlier face-off between the teams, Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya went after the Kings XI death bowlers. Since then, they have been struggling to find a reliable death bowler.
Mohammed Shami will need to attack Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock at the start and keep the big-hitters at the back .
Squads
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (Capt.), Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul Chahar, Anmolpreet Singh, Digvijay Deshmukh, Dhawal Kulkarni ,Chris Lynn, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mohsin Khan, James Pattinson, Prince Balwant Rai, Anukul Roy, Sherfane Rutherford, Aditya Tare, Saurabh Tiwary, Jayant Yadav.
Kings XI Punjab: K. L. Rahul (Capt.), Glenn Maxwell, Chris Gayle, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh, Sheldon Cottrell, Ishan Porel, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Shami, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Arshdeep Singh, Hardus Viljoen, M. Ashwin, J. Suchith, Harpreet Brar, Darshan Nalkande, James Neesham, Chris Jordan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Tajinder Singh Dhillon, Nicholas Pooran, Prabhsimran Singh.
Match details
Match 36, Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab
Venue: Dubai Sports City, Dubai
Date: October 18, Sunday
Time: 7:30 PM IST.
Comments
SHARE