MOHALI: 5-time champions Mumbai Indians' (MI) class and pedigree will once again be tested when they take on an unpredictable Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL match in Mohali on Tuesday, May 3.
A win will give Mumbai Indians the much-needed push on the points table, while a loss will see them slip further and chart a familiar course like the previous edition. Mumbai Indians had finished tenth and last in the previous edition. They are currently placed 7th with 8 points from 8 matches and things are not looking great for Rohit Sharma's side.
However, the victory over Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium on April 30 would have given the Mumabi Indians team a good deal of confidence after it successfully chased down a huge 212 with three balls to spare to earn two significant points.
Tim David, an Australian cricketer who was born in Singapore, orchestrated the triumph by slamming three consecutive sixes during his 14-ball undefeated 45 to wrest victory from the jaws of defeat.
While Suryakumar Yadav (55), the tall Australian all-rounder Cameron Green (44), Ishan Kishan (28), and Tilak Varma (29 not out) all made significant contributions, none could compare to the ferocity of David's strokes.
The middle-order batsman, who is 27 years old, helped Mumbai Indians win at home by smashing five sixes and two boundaries with a strike rate over 300.
The Punjab Kings, who are known for playing aggressive cricket but have a shaky top order, would require a similar level of dedication.
Very few PBKS batters have contributed enough to their overall totals, with the exception of Shikhar Dhawan and to a lesser extent his opening partner Prabhsimran Singh; however, this all changed in their most recent match against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk on April 30.
MS Dhoni's team set a challenging 200-run total, but the entire top and middle order showed up to help them win a last-ball thriller by four wickets. Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma all contributed to the historic chase after Prabhsimran and Dhawan laid a solid platform in the powerplay.
However, the team will probably have to contend with Jofra Archer of the Mumbai Indians, who returned to the game against the Rajasthan Royals and bowled his required number of overs while also taking a wicket.
The five-time IPL champions' main worry is Mumabi Indians captain Rohit's performance, and much will depend on him on Wednesday to stabilise his team after he scored just three runs against the Royals.
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