When it comes to underrated rivalries in the IPL, Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians are right at the top. Their matches are always thrilling, with both teams putting up a tough fight on the cricket field. However, this rivalry has also had its share of infamous incidents, such as the slapgate controversy. In the previous encounter between these two teams in IPL 2023, Mumbai Indians emerged victorious in a high-scoring humdinger in Mumbai. But now, as they head to Mohali for the next game, fans are eagerly anticipating another cracker of a match on a batting-friendly pitch. With both teams boasting a strong batting lineup, this game is sure to be a nail-biter, and one that fans won't want to miss.
Punjab Kings:
In recent years, Punjab has frequently missed out on playoff spots due to losing closely contested matches. However, under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan, they have started to turn things around this season by earning crucial points. Despite this progress, their performance has been inconsistent, partly due to the absence of key players at various times. They have won three of their last five matches, but these victories were interspersed with losses. Additionally, their home record is concerning, having won only one out of four games in Mohali so far. They will aim to end their Mohali campaign with a win before moving to Dharamsala.
Mumbai Indians:
Mumbai is finally hitting their stride in the IPL, thanks to their impressive batting depth. In a nail-biting home match, they pulled off a sensational victory without even needing to bring in their impact player to chase down over 200 runs. Talk about a team with serious firepower! However, their bowling attack has been a bit of a worry, with constant tinkering and few standout performances besides Piyush Chawla's impressive tally of 13 wickets. It's high time for Mumbai's bowlers to step up to the plate if they want to maintain their winning streak.
Probable 11:
Punjab Kings:
Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsimran Singh, Atharva Taide, Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma (C), Ishan Kishan (WK), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Jofra Archer, Arjun Tendulkar, Piyush Chawla, Kumar Kartikeya, Riley Meredith
Interesting Match Facts :
- Suryakumar Yadav is 6 sixes away from completing 100 sixes in IPL.
- Shikhar Dhawan is one away from completing a half-century of 50s in IPL, and three catches away from a 100 in the competition.
- Piyush Chawla needs 3 scalps to break into the top-three of IPL's all-time highest wicket-takers.
- Jofra Archer is two away from recording 50 IPL wickets.
Pitch and Weather report:
The surface at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali has provided a lot of support to the batters in the tournament so far, and the same might happen in this game. The average first innings score in the last five games at this venue has been 185 runs. The team winning the toss will likely elect to bowl.
Date & Time: 03rd May, 2023 at 7:30 PM IST
Venue: IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Live Streaming: Star Sports Network & Jio Cinema
Dream XI Team:
