Mumbai will need to win each of their remaining six fixtures if they hope to progress to the playoff stages
A struggling Mumbai Indians take on dominant Kings XI Punjab in match 34 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Friday. MI need to win all their matches if they still aspire to make it to the playoffs. On the other hand, KXIP look all set for a top 4 finish.
Mumbai come into this match with a 14-run defeat against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Punjab also suffered a 13-run loss to Hyderabad in a low scoring encounter. So both MI and KXIP would be looking to come back to winning ways but it’s Mumbai for whom the win is imperative.
Match Details:
Timing – 8 pm
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Venue – Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore.
Where to watch – Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD
Head to head – There is not much to choose between the two sides as they stand equal at 10-10.
Team News:
After a week’s rest between games, the KXIP players are expected to come out well rested, with all guns blazing. No changes are expected as the management might stick with the same winning combination.
For Mumbai, opener Evin Lewis could not feature in their previous game due to injury. Kieron Pollard who took his place didn’t perform well and Lewis will be expected to reclaim his spot if he makes a full recovery in time.
Prediction: who will win?
They haven’t played to their potential this season but a do-or-die situation can bring the best out of Mumbai Indians. They have to win all their games to have a chance to qualify for the playoffs and they are expected to display their ‘A’ game to stay alive. So don't be surprised if MI take this one!
Betting odds: According to Oddscheker.com, the odds are placed at 1/1 for KKR and 10/11 for KXIP.
Holkar Cricket Stadium Pitch Report: The Indore pitch has always been a batting paradise and a high scoring game is on the cards. Batsmen from the both the teams are expected to make merry.
Moneycontrol Dream XI: Chris Gayle, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ben Cutting, Ankit Rajpoot, Mayank Markande, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah
Players to watch out for:
Chris Gayle (KXIP) – The Gaylestorm has been in red-hot form this season after not being picked in the playing XI for the first two games. But after that, he has set the pitch on fire in almost every match. Expect him to do the same in Indore as well!
Rohit Sharma (MI) – The Mumbai skipper is a fighter and he would be looking to lead from the front in a must-win game for his team. Watch out for him to clear the boundary consistently!
IPL points table:
With only two wins from their eight games, MI are languishing at the bottom of the table with just 4 points. They can’t afford another loss as that would be curtains for them in this season. On the other hand, KXIP are placed at the third spot with 10 points. Another win here would consolidate their chances to qualify for the playoffs. Check out the