Will MI Hold the Reins At Wankhede Or RCB Unleash the Beast| Predicted XIs, Pitch Report, Fantasy Tips
Previously, RCB had defeated MI by 8 wickets (iplt20.com)
A thrilling tie-breaker is in full throttle as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are ready to take on home team, Mumbai Indians (MI), in Match 54 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium on 9 May at 7:30 PM. Both the teams are full of zeal and desperation to win as this match would define their fate in the tournament.
Both the teams are tied with 10 points each, having won 5 matches and losing the other 5. It is crucial match for the two as it would keep the hopes to qualify for the playoff's alive for at least one of them.
Team Preview
Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB have had sweet and sour season so far; they have come and conquered some matches and they've learnt in some. However, what has been a dilemma for the team since the beginning of the season is their middle and lower order batting.
With skipper and orange cap holder, Faf du Plessis, and hard-hitting Virat Kohli as openers for the team and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell walking in usually at No. 3, the glam and run-scoring ability concludes right here.
Although, Mahipal Lomror had an absolute top-class innings against the Delhi Capitals scoring 54* off 29 balls, this was the only match where his bat rained sixes and fours across Qila Kotla. In the 9 matches he's played before this, he has had a below-acceptable strike-rate. On the other hand, Dinesh Karthik might be a catch expert but has evidently a run-out expert too this season. Anuj Rawat, Shahbaz Ahmed have also had little to none impact on the fate on any game so far.
Once the purple cap holder, Miyan Ji has been losing his mojo with only one wicket in the last two innings; he must find it soon for the team to receive the much needed boost. However, the return of pacer Josh Hazlewood is expected to be in favour of the team.
Mumbai Indians
Getting off to a rocky start, MI lost two of its first matches in the series, the team saw players like Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and even their skipper, Rohit Sharma deliver absolutely pitiful performances time and again.
However, it can be seen that the batters are finally coming into form, SKY's 66 off 31 and Ishan Kishan's 75 off 41 against Punjab Kings are mere examples of it. While things look good for the two batsmen, Rohit Sharma has had a terrible season so far with only 184 runs scored in the last 10 innings.
Mumbai's bowling strength will once again rely on Piyush Chawla, to deliver a game-changing performance. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer, the fast bowler from England, will have to live up to the expectations of MI team and its fans.
Match Details
Date & Time: May 9, 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Live Streaming and Broadcasting: Jio Cinema & Star Sports Network
Pitch Report: At the Wankhede, the new ball might aid pace bowlers in the beginning, however the game would ultimately favour the batsmen as it progresses. It offers a favorable pitch for batting where batsmen can score easily see and hit the ball well. The small boundary size and fast outfield contribute to setting up high scores.
Probable Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood
Impact Players Substitutes
Harshal Patel, Sonu Yadav, Michael Bracewell, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Shahbaz Ahmed
Mumbai Indians
Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(wk), Cameron Green, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Jofra Archer, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, and Arshad Khan
Impact Players Substitutes
Kumar Kartikeya, Dewald Brevis, Vishnu Vinod, Ramandeep Singh, Tristan Stubbs
Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
Wicket-keeper: Ishan Kishan
Batters: Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Mahipal Lomror|
All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green
Bowlers: Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Piyush Chawla
Captain: Faf du Plessis
Vice-captain: Suryakumar Yadav
Prediction
Out of the 31 matches played between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League , MI has won 17 while RCB has won 14, giving MI a slight edge in their head-to-head record.
However, in their most recent six encounters, RCB has emerged victorious five times, giving them an advantage in recent history. If asked to choose one, Faf du Plessis's RCB will emerge victorious at the Wankhede.
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