Still searching for their first win in IPl 2022, Mumbai Indians lock horns with Royal Challengers Bangalore as Faf Du Plessis-led side won the toss and opted to bowl first at MCA Stadium, Pune, on Saturday (April 9).
"We're going to have a bowl. It is our first game here so we aren't sure what the pitch is going to do. But it's just the general trend, and hopefully there is dew later on which we can make use of. Two wins out of three looks good. [Loud chants of RCB, RCB] Wow, what an atmosphere. Just one change: Maxwell, comes in for Rutherford. DK has been going really well. The clarity and the role that we have given him will hopefully give him consistency," RCB skipper Faf du Plessis said before the match.
"We would have bowled first as well. The nature of the pitch looks like it would get better and better as the match goes on. We just need to try and apply ourselves a little more than we have done so far in the tournament. All games are big games. When you play your first game you try and get some momentum. A first win would be nice tonight. SKY is a quality player, he definitely strengthens our batting lineup. We look forward to the same from him and the entire batting lineup. Two changes: Unadkat comes in place of Mills. Ramandeep comes in for Sams," Mumbai Indians' captain Rohit Sharma said.
MI lost by four wickets to Delhi Capitals before suffering a 23-run and five-wicket defeat at the hands of Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively. It is imperative for Mumbai that their skipper Rohit gets some run under his belt. He has managed 41, 10 and 3 in the first three games.
RCB, on the other hand, have registered two wins from three games and are looking good after starting the season on a losing note. RCB, led by South African Faf du Plessis, lost to Punjab Kings by five wickets in their opener before registering back-to-back wins overs KKR (by 3 wickets) and Rajasthan Royals (4 wickets).
Head-to-Head
Total – 29
Royal Challengers Bangalore – 11
Mumbai Indians – 17
Draw- 1 (Bangalore won in Super Over)
RCB vs MI previous games
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 54 runs
Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 2 Wickets
Mumbai Indians won by 5 Wickets
Match Tied; Royal Challengers Bangalore won in Super Over
Mumbai Indians won by 5 Wickets
Pitch report
"This pitch here has helped the fast bowlers and has been very sporting, and today is no different. There is a good layer of lively grass and there will be pace and bounce on offer. But that could be a double-edged sword. Batting first might not be that bad an idea," former Indian player Deep Dasgupta analyses the pitch.
Mumbai Indians' playing XI:
Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Ramandeep Singh, Murugan Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Jasprit Bumrah, Basil Thampi.
Royal Challengers Bangalore's playing XI:
Faf du Plessis(c), Anuj Rawat, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik(w), David Willey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj.
