Mumbai Indians

Plot:

Many years ago the Mumbai-Kolkata rivalry began with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly at the helm. Fast track to 2015, and we’re all set to play our first home game of the 10th edition of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) against Kolkata Knight Riders. Our record against KKR on home turf makes for pleasant reading. In 7 games at the Wankhede against them, we’ve lost just one and won the remaining.

The boys may be disappointed at the loss against Rising Pune Supergiant in the first game, but they are still high on confidence. Hardik Pandya’s last over heroics took the total to more than a respectable one. However, in our first game on home turf, our top and middle-order will look to get their eyes in and kick on, rather than depend on the lower-order to bail us out. The bowling and fielding departments have been circumspect recently, and with the much-anticipated return of Lasith Malinga, our bowling area is bolstered.

Kolkata Knight Riders had a rollicking start to their campaign, against Gujarat Lions. They conceded a lot of runs with the ball and had been set a target of 184. However, Gautam Gambhir & Chris Lynn chased it down without breaking sweat and won the game by 10 wickets. It will be a different ball game for them at the Wankhede Stadium though, where their record is far from enviable. KKR will hope for a better show from their bowlers and fielders too.

Stage:

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Our fortress, our castle, our abode! The Wankhede Stadium has given us so much in the past. Our record at home has been impeccable as well, having won over 65 percent of the games here. The pitch here should be easy paced to bat on, as has been the case throughout the IPL seasons. The last T20 game at the Wankhede was a high-scoring Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Inter Zonal final. The team batting first scored 181, and it was chased off the final ball. You can expect a similar high-scoring contest once again.

Acts:

Kieron Pollard vs Sunil Narine:

Trinidadian flair will be at full display when Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns. We have the giant, Kieron Pollard and KKR have the deceiver, Sunil Narine in their flanks. While Pollard has been one of the most devastating batsmen, when in full flow in the IPL, Narine has been a vastly successful bowler on most grounds. Pollard loves to take on spinners and could be tested against Narine’s wily deliveries.

Malinga vs KKR’s top-order

KKR bank on their top-order to get them off to solid starts and the likes of Gambhir, Uthappa, and Pandey have responded on most occasions. Chris Lynn has been added to that list after his blitzkrieg, unbeaten 93 in their first game of the season. Malinga returns for us and he is in red hot form after his hat-trick against Bangladesh. It will be fun to watch him at the start of the innings, before he creates havoc in the death overs.

MI’s spinners vs KKR’s spinners

KKR have always relied on their spinners with the ball, wherever they have played. Gambhir opted for 3 spinners at Rajkot, while we went for Krunal Pandya’s services alone. How effective their spinners be on a placid Wankhede surface, is a question that will be answered come Sunday.

Stats:

⦁    We have won 6 of the 7 games against KKR at the Wankhede.
⦁    Pollard scored an unbeaten 51 off 17 balls against KKR, last season at home – the fastest fifty by an MI batsman. He needs just 15 runs to get to 2000 IPL runs.
⦁    67 – KKR’s lowest total (bowled out) came against us in the opening season of the IPL at the Wankhede.