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Though Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are on equal terms in their head-to-head record, with both teams winning 17 of their 34 games, the visitors hold a slight advantage ahead of tonight’s IPL-19 encounter at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
The Hardik Pandya-led five-time champions are struggling to find the right combination, having lost their last three games. The hosts are placed ninth on the points table with just one win. In contrast, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab outfit are yet to taste defeat this season, winning three games while one was washed out.
MI have a few major issues to address, the most important being the availability of opener Rohit Sharma, who has scored 137 runs in four matches so far.
Rohit was present at the Wankhede on Wednesday evening and spent considerable time doing light running and stretching, even sharing some light moments with MI’s support staff. He also batted in the nets for around 20 minutes, taking throwdowns and playing a few lofted shots.
Ahead of MI batter Naman Dhir’s pre-match press conference, the team management clarified that their medical team and coaching staff are assessing Rohit’s fitness. The attacking batter had retired hurt on 19 due to a hamstring injury in the previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, but looks set to feature as an Impact Substitute today.
MI will also hope their other top-order batters step up, with the inconsistent Suryakumar Yadav (106 runs in four games) and out-of-form Tilak Varma (35 in four matches) needing to shoulder more responsibility.
But the biggest concern for the hosts is their bowling unit’s inability to take wickets and restrict run flow. In four games, MI’s bowlers have managed just 15 wickets with pacer Jasprit Bumrah still awaiting his first dismissal of the season.
“We have done well with the bat in the Powerplays, considering the conditions. Bowling-wise, if you say we haven’t taken wickets, then yes, that is a small concern. But [Trent] Boult, Bumrah, Deepak Chahar are all quality bowlers and can win us matches anytime,” Dhir told reporters.
6013
Total runs scored by Rohit Sharma for MI — he becomes the first MI player to cross the 6000-run mark
45.66
Rohit Sharma’s average this season; the opener has scored 137 runs in four matches
11.19
Run rate at which MI bowlers have conceded runs in the first four games this season
11.44
Run rate at Wankhede this season; teams have scored 906 runs in 79.1 overs across two games
17
No. of matches won each by MI and Punjab Kings against each other in the IPL; both have played 34 games
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