Mumbai: Mumbai Indians have peaked towards the end of the tournament by registering two consecutive wins over better placed Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab. They have 10 points now but still need to win both of their remaining matches at home to have any outside chance for a last four league finish.
The defending champions take on struggling Delhi Daredevils in another must-win clash here on Friday. If they go on to win then their last engagement against Royals on Sunday could turn out a do or die contest provided some of the other key results go their way.
The most impressive thing in those two wins has been the half-century opening partnerships between Lendl Simmons and Michael Hussey. The Rohit Sharma-led side struggled to get the right opening combination before their eleventh game but the woes seem to be over now.
Simmons has turned things around for MI by scoring 280 runs in five games including two half centuries and an unbeaten hundred against Kings XI on Wednesday. Hussey has also looked determined since his comeback against Royals in Ahmedabad. Middle order looks settled with Ambati Rayudu, Rohit and Kieron Pollard get their act together.
Lasith Malinga’s early exit due to his national engagements hasn’t affected the team much as yet but he remains the crowd favourite and his experience will be missed. His replacement Krishmar Santokie hasn’t delivered yet and Mumbai have other options available in Marchant de Lange and Josh Hazlewood.
Harbhajan Singh has been economical and Karnataka leggie Shreyas Gopal has grabbed the opportunity. Pacers Praveen Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah can be lethal with their swinging deliveries. The five losses in UAE could still comeback to haunt Mumbai Indians who have suffered only two defeats since in seven games — one against CSK at home and Kolkata Knight Riders at Cuttack. They have defeated table toppers Kings XI Punjab twice.
The return to their fortress, where they have suffered just one defeat against Chennai Super Kings in the last eleven games, spreading over to last season, would be a comforting factor for the hosts. Delhi Daredevils, on the other hand, have been sluggish this season but could act as party spoilers. They come here after a seven-match losing streak. Their batting, featuring skipper Kevin Pietersen, has failed to click in unison and the bowling, spearheaded by Mohammed Shami has been far from impressive.
South African J.P. Duminy (357 runs) has been their lone success story with the bat and the leading wicket taker is left-arm slow bowler Shahbaz Nadeem (7 wickets from 9 games). Late inclusion Imran Tahir (five wickets from four games) could be handful on this track which offers good bounce.
