The Tata IPL is in the last phase, and yet we do not have the top four teams for the playoffs. While RCB and GT have almost sealed the top two spots, there is no clarity over the other three teams, but Thursday’s game might end the debate over PBKS‘ qualification. It is to be seen whether it finishes within the top 2 or stays afloat. PBKS’ journey this IPL was initially smooth, but recent results have dragged the team down. From being one of the most spoken about to hanging by the rope, Punjab’s qualification looks gloomy but not impossible.
Only PBKS can save itself from this situation. The might of Punjab Kings’ batting overshadowed its bowling and fielding efforts so much that now it has come back to bite them. on the other hand, MI‘s season might be over, but it has a great chance to spoil Punjab’s party and finish the season on a good note.
The match is at Dharamshala, a venue where Mumbai last faced Punjab 13 years back. A lot is changed since then, and now, looking at the teams’ past results, it will not be easy to predict a winner. Punjab, with 13 points from 11 matches, will face a depleted Mumbai Indians, who have only six points from 11 matches and are eliminated already.
Head-to-Head
The head-to-head record stands in Punjab’s favour with an 18:17 ratio; Mumbai has reached near but not enough to cause an upset. The Dharamshala ground is surrounded by mountains, and the black soil will make it yet another batsman’s paradise. Nearly all the games this IPL have crossed 200, and one can expect a similar score today as well. Both teams are currently under enormous pressure, but Punjab is under it rather more because it has lost the last four games, which puts them in a spot of bother for the playoffs, whereas Mumbai has nothing to lose.
The player matchups are also to be looked at. Yuzvendra Chahal has dismissed Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma each; in fact, Suryakumar Yadav has been dismissed four times while Rohit once in this edition. However, given the Hitman’s current form, Chahal would be easily dispatched. Shreyas Iyer would again go with Arshdeep Singh in the power play after his stellar performance against Mumbai. Arshdeep also dismissed Suryakumar on a golden duck at Wankhede. Interestingly, the last game at Dharamshala saw no spin from either of the teams.
In their last meeting at Wankhede, PBKS stunned Mumbai with their batting might and fielding excellence. Chasing 196, Punjab won with 4 overs remaining. Shreyas Iyer played a captain’s knock along with Prabhsimran, who equally contributed for a fine 80 from just 39 balls. Arshdeep Singh was the player of the Match for his outstanding bowling display. Who could forget Shreyas Iyer’s unbelievable catch at the boundary, which shocked even Rohit Sharma. Definitely, PBKS will look to bring the same energy onto the field today.
PBKS
PBKS is one team that was thought to be the first team to qualify, especially with the speed and comfort it was winning at the initial phase but as every good start has a rough patch, Punjab seems to be experiencing it now. After a rocket start, the team seems to have suddenly lost momentum, which has adversely affected the player’s confidence. A team that chewed a monumental target of 264 against Delhi is now trying to stay alive in the contest. As mentioned earlier, Punjab’s fielding woes have been exposed at a critical phase of the tournament.
Fielders win the game. No matter how good the batting is, if it does not get the desired support, the win is not a win. Similarly, PBKS must sort the fielding in time, else it will hurt them ahead. Â A positive for Punjab has been its powerful batting. The batsmen are in a beast mode whenever they bat.
The top order for PBKS has been superb, with the captain leading from the front in crunch moments. Iyer is the second-highest run-scorer for the franchise with 392 runs and a strike rate of 164.2. Cooper Connoly, Prabhsimran, and Priyansh Arya sit right at the top in the run-scoring chart.
MI
There has not been much to say about MI this season, but the likes of Naman Dhir, Rickelton, and Allah Ghazanfar have been impressive. Allah Ghazanfar is the leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets but what is even more astonishing is that Ghazanfar, who is the top wicket-taker, has played only nine games, while Jasprit Bumrah, who has only three wickets, has played all the games so far. It has not been Mumbai’s season, and it has been reflected in their performance.
Suryakumar Yadav, who is probably the most trusted batsman after Rohit Sharma, has not found the sweet spot of his bat. It has been 11 games without a half-century for Suryakumar, and the T20 World Cup-winning captain is desperate to roar back in form. Will Dharamshala finally be a jailbreak for him, or will his disastrous IPL continue?
It is also to be seen whether Mumbai Captain Hardik Pandya plays today’s game, as per sources, he did not travel with the team but was seen training separately. Hardik’s personal form is a concern for the team, and he has been suffering from a back spasm lately.
Who will win?
It could be 50-50 because both Mumbai and Punjab lost the last game. Punjab would look for a quick turnaround, while MI, even though eliminated, will play for its own sake. Both teams have somewhat similar issues where Punjab’s batting is a success, and the bowling and fielding is vulnerable, while Mumbai also has the same issue, in fact a little more serious.
Punjab is playing at home, and Mumbai has a winless streak against them at Dharamshala, which itself is a huge confidence sign for Punjab. I would back Punjab tonight and hope that it solves the issues and gets back to winning ways.
Probable team
Punjab – Shreyas Iyer©, Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Cooper Conolly, Marcus Stoinis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ben Dwarshuis, Yash Thakur, Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh
Mumbai – Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav©, Raghu Sharma, Allah Ghazanfar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ryan Rickelton, Naman Dhir, Tilak Varma, Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, Hardik Pandya
Also Read:Â RCB vs KKR: 3 Reasons For KKR’s Narrow Loss To RCB