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WHAT’S AT STAKE:
MI: Rohit Sharma’s men need a victory to keep up with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are currently sitting in the fourth position with same number of points but a superior net run-rate.
DC: Delhi Capitals have already qualified for the playoffs. However, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) just two points behind them in third place, a victory will solidify their chances of finishing in the top two.
Defending Champions MI aren’t having a great time in the UAE. After three consecutive losses, they finally managed to get out of the rut with a victory against the Punjab Kings in the last game.
MI’s batting has been a big disappointment. The likes of Suryakumar Yadav & Ishan Kishan have been woefully out of form. While their openers Rohit Sharma & Quinton de Kock have both got starts, they have struggled to kick on and get a big score.
Even in the last game, it was Saurabh Tiwary and Hardik Pandya who bailed them out after another poor outing for their top-order.
In terms of the playing XI, Nathan Coulter-Nile, who replaced Adam Milne in their clash against PBKS, will most likely retain his place after bowling a very economical spell of four overs for just 19 runs.
On the other hand, DC were cruising before KKR got the better of them in the previous game. The clash against Mumbai is crucial for them, considering they face table-toppers CSK and Virat Kohli’s RCB in their final two league games.
With Chennai already two points ahead and RCB breathing down their neck, this game against Mumbai provides the Capitals with an opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the chasing pack.
Delhi were without Prithvi Shaw in the game against KKR. After the match, captain Rishabh Pant claimed there was an 80 per cent chance that Shaw would be fit to face Mumbai. He also claimed Marcus Stoinis would need a “match or two” to regain fitness after a hamstring issue ruled him out of the previous two encounters. If both Shaw & Stoinis are fit, Steve Smith & Lalit Yadav might have to sit out.
With the business end of the tournament fast approaching, games like these can make or break your season. While a top-two finish remains top on DC’s priority list, Mumbai could find themselves well adrift of a playoff spot if they falter against Pant’s side.
