[[{“value”:”
Mumbai Indians got off to a slow start, managing just 48 runs at the end of the powerplay. The hosts, who have lost their last three matches, are aiming to bounce back against the only unbeaten side this season, Punjab Kings.
With Rohit Sharma sidelined due to injury, Ryan Rickelton opened alongside Quinton de Kock in a new-look partnership for MI. However, the experiment faltered early as Rickelton was caught at deep square leg.
Suryakumar Yadav walked in at No. 3 but was dismissed off the very first ball, with Arshdeep Singh continuing his impressive form. The Indian T20 skipper has struggled for consistency and is enduring a lean patch this season.
Naman Dhir came in at No. 4 and got a reprieve when Yuzvendra Chahal dropped a straightforward catch, which could have put MI in deeper trouble. Dhir made the most of the opportunity, emerging as MI’s most effective batter in the powerplay with a brisk 27 off 16 balls.
At the end of six overs, Mumbai Indians were 48/2.
With players like Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma yet to come, MI will look to build a competitive total against an in-form PBKS side.
For Punjab Kings, Arshdeep Singh stood out with the ball, picking up two wickets for just four runs in his first two overs.
Earlier, after losing the toss, MI skipper Hardik Pandya confirmed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma would miss the match due to injury and is likely to be sidelined for a couple of games. All-rounder Mitchell Santner is also unavailable due to illness.
“Rohit is still recovering and will need a couple of matches to assess his condition. Mitchell Santner is also unwell and unavailable. We have made a few changes — Quinton de Kock returns to the side, and Mayank Rawat makes his debut,” Pandya said.
Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah
“}]]
