Mumbai face rampaging CSK
Mumbai Indians will aim to maintain their unbeaten home run when they meet table-toppers Chennai Super Kings here at Wankhede stadium on Sunday. The task will be difficult as the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side come into the game in prime form, with seven wins on the trot.
The hosts who have recorded four wins at home so far, will take confidence from their win against CSK in their previous meeting at Chepauk. Chennai have lost only one game since — against bottom-placed Pune Warriors at the same venue.
Mumbai’s three-match unbeaten run was ended by Sunrisers Hyderabad as the Rohit Sharma-led side put up an ordinary show with the bat, scoring just 129. All their batsmen including big hitting Kieron Pollard struggled to score at brisk rate. Sachin Tendulkar hasn’t been able to play any innings of substance at the top in absence of Ricky Ponting.
Dinesh Karthik who held Orange Cap once hasn’t been able to flourish in last few games. However, Sharma and Dwayne Smith are in top form and will like to continue that. Pollard suffered a finger injury in the previous game but he batted and bowled in the nets on Saturday and is likely to play on Sunday.
In case, Pollard misses out, Ponting might be back in the team or million dol- lars buy Glenn Maxwell can get his debut IPL game.
Bowlers have fared decently at home with spinners Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha leading the way. Lasith Malinga hasn’t been at his destructive best but he along with Mitchell Johnson have kept the rival batsmen in check.
Leaders CSK on the other hand have hardly put a wrong foot down in recent times winning nine games including four away wins and are in comfort zone when it comes to play-off qualification.
Suresh Raina is fresh from his first IPL century against Kings XI to gain confidence and make the middle-order look more dangerous. Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja have relished the job of finishers. Michael Hussey has provided consistent starts at the top.
West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 19 scalps but he has struggled with the bat. Mohit Sharma has been their surprise package. Chris Morris has been bowling well while spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are crucial in the middle overs.