Resurgent Mumbai Indians are likely to be tested to the hilt by defending champions Gujarat Titans in what will be a vital Indian Premier League encounter at Wankhede on Friday. For the first time this season, the five-time champions have looked promising as they rose to the third spot in the points table with a six-wicket thumping of Royal Challengers Bangalore on Tuesday. Chasing 200 inside 17 overs, MI`s innings showcased how successful their batting has been, even though for the second consecutive game they reshuffled the order in a bid to push their net run rate.
MI vs GT: A brief overview
Despite captain Rohit Sharma`s prolonged lean patch with five single-digit scores on the trot, MI`s batting has been nearly unstoppable at Wankhede as they successfully chased a target of 200 or above twice in three attempts. Even against Punjab Kings, MI replied with 201 for 6 while chasing 215.
However, the issue for MI this year is not restricted to Rohit`s form or the absence of Jasprit Bumrah or Jofra Archer, but their death overs bowling which have time and again seen them conceding four consecutive totals above 200, and nearly did so versus RCB again. In the last three games here, opposition sides have raked up 214/8, 212/7 and 199/6, making the most of a flat wicket and perfect batting conditions, something that GT would also like to target.
With eight wins in 11 matches, GT are on the brink of making it to the playoffs and being the first team to do so.
Skipper Hardik Pandya and coach Ashish Nehra have successfully managed a conducive environment for the players who have flourished for the franchise this year as well, emerging as a strong contender for the title for the second year in a row.
The highlight for GT is that they have not lost any of their away games and all three losses have so far come at their home ground in Ahmedabad.
MI vs GT: Dream11 Prediction
Wicketkeepers: Wriddhiman Saha, Ishan Kishan
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Nehal Wadhera
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Cameron Green
Bowlers: Piyush Chawla, Mohammed Shami, Rashid Khan
MI vs GT: Full Squads
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Jofra Archer, Arshad Khan, Jason Behrendorff, Dewald Brevis, Piyush Chawla, Tim David, Raghav Goyal, Cameron Green, Ishan Kishan (wk), Duan Jansen, Chris Jordan, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Riley Meredith, Shams Mulani, Ramandeep Singh, Sandeep Warrier, Hrithik Shokeen, Tristan Stubbs, Arjun Tendulkar, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Suryakumar Yadav.
Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R. Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Dasun Shanaka, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Joshua Little and Mohit Sharma.
MI vs GT: Predicted Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma (capt), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma/Tristan Stubbs, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Piyush Chawla, 9 Kumar Kartikeya/Raghav Goyal, Chris Jordan Akash Madhwal
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Shami
MI vs GT: Toss Update
Gujarat Titans` captain Hardik Pandya won toss, elected to bowl first against Mumbai Indians.
MI vs GT: Confirmed Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Chris Jordan, Vishnu Vinod, Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff, Kumar Kartikeya
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Vijay Shankar, Hardik Pandya(c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Mohit Sharma, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Noor Ahmad
9:00 PM: 153/4 (16 overs)
Vishnu Vinod departs after a flashy cameo, caught by Abhinav Manohar off the bowling of Mohit Sharma. The delivery was a high full toss which appeared to be below the waist, and Vinod mistimed his shot, sending the ball high in the air. The fielder at long leg held onto a well-judged catch. The third umpire was called upon to check the height of the delivery, but it was confirmed to be a legal delivery. Despite his departure, Vinod played a sparkling little knock. Meanwhile, Mohit Sharma had another excellent over, continuing his impressive form this season. The final scorecard reads Vishnu Vinod c Abhinav Manohar b Mohit Sharma 30(20) [4s-2 6s-2].
8:50 PM: 152/3 (15 overs)
SKY and Vinod steady MI`s innings after Rashid Khan`s heroics. SKY is playing with strike rate of 150. With 12 runs of Joseph, SKY is nearing yet another fifty. MI are looking beyond 200 with 7 wickets in hand. Let`s not forget, one last over from Rashid is still to come.
8:40 PM: 96/3 (10 overs)
Nehal Wadhera has been bowled by Rashid Khan! That`s his third wicket and the Afghan spin wizard is doing a great job. Rashid delivered a flatter and quicker delivery outside off, which turned out to be a wrong `un that moved away from the left-handed batsman. Wadhera made room to cut the ball but played with hard hands, resulting in an inside edge that hit the stumps. The bails lit up, and Mumbai Indians have lost three wickets. Nehal Wadhera is dismissed for 15 runs off 7 balls, including 1 four and a six.
8:25 PM: 66/2 (10 overs)
Ishan Kishan falls to Rashid Khan`s LBW trap, departs for 31. MI loses two wickets in quick succession yet again, as Rohit and Kishan depart in the same over for the second consecutive match. The ball looked to have hit Kishan`s pads in line with the stumps, and the umpire had no hesitation in raising his finger. Ishan Kishan walks back to the pavilion after playing a useful knock of 31 off 20 balls, including four boundaries and a six.
8:13 PM: 65/1 (8 overs)
Rohit falls to Rashid Khan`s leg-break: Caught by Rahul Tewatia! Rashid strikes immediately after the break, inducing a hint of spin that straightened with the angle, drawing Rohit forward into the defensive push, finding the edge, and Tewatia gobbles it up with ease, moving swiftly across to his left at slip. Though there were muted celebrations in the GT camp, this is a big wicket for them.
8:00 PM: 61/0 (6 overs)
MI made a superb start in the game against GT, which has led to the strategic break being called. Rohit Sharma has looked in sublime touch, while Ishan Kishan has also started to move on. However, MI will be aware that they need to score at least 200 runs on this pitch.
7:55 PM: 44/0 (4 overs)
Ishan Kishan is playing with a strike rate of 150 while Rohit is going with 200. Hardik brings the experienced Rashid next into the attack in search of a wicket.
7:40 PM: 28/0 (2 overs)
Rohit Sharma has scored 15 runs in eight balls with the help of two boundaries and a six of a pull short. Mumbai will look to make the most of the powerplay.
7:30 PM: Match begins!
Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan open the innings for the Mumbai Indians eyeing a fiery start in the powerplay. Mohit Sharma attacks the stumps for Gujarat Titans looking for an early wicket.
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