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The former five-time champions Mumbai Indians have had a torrid start their season in the Indian Premier League 2022. Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have seen mixed results so far. The two teams are set to lock horns in the match no. 23 of the season at MCA Stadium in Pune on April 13.
Rohit Sharma’s men have suffered their joint-second worst start in a season in the history of the league, having lost four matches on the trot. Losing a couple of winnable games against Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders has hurt them and possibly sent them into a panic mode.
In their last fixture, MI succumbed to a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Suryakumar Yadav pulled Mumbai out of a big hole with his magnificent 68* off 37 and took the team score to a respectable 151/7. The bowling attack didn’t look threatening at all as RCB chased down the total with seven wickets and seven balls to spare.
Mayank Agarwal-led side have been a highly entertaining batting side in the ongoing edition of the tournament, and Jonny Bairstow has only just joined them. They have won two and lost two, with their net run-rate reading 0.152. They have defeated RCB and Chennai Super Kings, while their losses came against Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans.
PBKS are coming off a devastating six-wicket loss against the Titans in the last game. Batting first, the Kings posted 189/9 on the back of Liam Livingstone’s brutal 27-ball 64. In response, Shubman Gill scored a terrific 96 off 59 for the Titans and brought the equation down. With 12 needed off two balls, Rahul Tewatia smashed two consecutive sixes off Odean Smith as PBKS suffered yet another heartbreak.
Historically, Punjab Kings has always been one of the sides to have given a tough fight to Mumbai Indians. With both the teams desperate for a victory, expect a cracking contest on Wednesday.
Key players
Liam Livingstone is one of the highly-rated T20 players in the world, and the IPL audience is finally seeing why. The destructive striker has hammered 60 off 32 and 64 off 27 in the last two games. Overall, the Englishman has scored 4272 in T20 cricket at an average of 29 and strike rate of 145. He also bowls handy leg-spin and has 71 wickets in the format at an economy of eight. The all-rounder will be a key player for Punjab Kings.
Rahul Chahar is amongst the top leg-break bowlers in India. The 22-year-old has done well in T20 cricket, having taken 91 wickets in 75 matches at an economy of 7.29 rpo. He has done well for Punjab Kings so far, picking seven wickets in four games at just 6.31 rpo. The leg-spinner will have a point to prove against his former team.
Suryakumar Yadav is in his prime, and it is visible every time he walks out in the middle. The right-hand batter has scored 1341 runs in the IPL since 2019 at an average of 33.5 while striking at 141, including 10 fifties.
SKY has scored 52 off 36 and 68* off 37 since his return from injury. He remains a crucial player for the struggling MI side.
Jasprit Bumrah is the best all-phase bowler in the T20 format. The MI speedster remains their biggest hope with the ball in a rather mediocre bowling attack.
Bumrah has been a bit expensive in the IPL 2022, picking three scalps at 8.16 rpo. Overall, he has taken 133 wickets in the league at an economy of 7.45 rpo.
Prediction
Talking about the head to head record between these two teams, MI lead the scoreline by a narrow margin of 15 wins to 13. In the last five clashes, they have won three while PBKS have claimed two games.
As for the teams, MI have struggled to find the right balance in their side, especially in the bowling department. Who knows how their bowling attack will shape up for this game. The batting department looks better but needs a rejig. SKY moving to number three with Tim David coming back could be on the cards.
Punjab Kings have a pretty solid batting unit, and it is only strengthened with the return of Jonny Bairstow. Livingstone’s form is a huge plus for them. PBKS have some concerns with their team balance as well, with Odean Smith likely to be dropped after a series of bad outings. Benny Howell or Bhanuka Rajapaksa could get an opportunity in his place.
Overall, Mayank Agarwal’s side looks much better on paper as well as on form. Expect Punjab Kings to claim the victory Wednesday.
