2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by MI in their IPL 2023 Eliminator match vs LSG

The Mumbai Indians (MI) put in a comprehensive performance in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) Eliminator, thrashing the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 81 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, May 24.

Rohit Sharma and Co., who sneaked through to the playoffs after finishing fourth, are in an excellent run of form at the moment. They will now progress to Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad, where they will face off against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday, May 26.

Ahead of the clash, Mumbai will need to plan carefully. Although they seem to be peaking at the right time, they still have a few kinks to iron out before locking horns with the defending champions.

Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by MI in their IPL 2023 Eliminator clash against LSG.

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#3 Mistake - Rohit Sharma went to Hrithik Shokeen in the last over of the powerplay

Rohit Sharma tossed the ball to Hrithik Shokeen with Marcus Stoinis at the crease

MI made one change ahead of their Eliminator clash against LSG, replacing left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya with Hrithik Shokeen. The move was likely made with an eye on the number of left-handers in the Lucknow lineup.

However, Mumbai persisted with their pacers for a couple of overs after Kyle Mayers and Krunal Pandya joined forces at the crease. It worked, with Chris Jordan sending back Mayers and forcing another left-right combination in the middle.

In the last over of the powerplay, though, Rohit Sharma decided to toss the ball to Shokeen. Marcus Stoinis was always going to target the young off-spinner, and the over ended up costing 18 runs.

Rohit should've learnt from the league game between the two sides, where Stoinis took on Shokeen. It wasn't a very smart decision and helped LSG have a decent powerplay despite losing their openers.

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#2 Masterstroke - Cameron Green's intent in the powerplay put LSG on the back foot

Cameron Green put in an excellent all-round display in the Eliminator

Speaking of powerplays, MI's was a productive one almost solely because of Cameron Green. The five-time champions lost their skipper early, but the big-hitting Aussie ensured that the foot was never taken off the pedal.

Green got his innings underway with a boundary and essayed a superb knock featuring six fours and a six. The tall all-rounder helped Mumbai reach 62 at the end of the powerplay even though he had to witness Ishan Kishan fall in the fifth over.

Green countered his negative match-ups as well, namely Krunal Pandya in the final over of the powerplay. It was a vital knock from the No. 3, who was fresh off a match-winning century.

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#1 Mistake - Mumbai's unorthodox impact player strategy didn't pay off

Suryakumar Yadav was subbed out after getting out in the 11th over

The Mumbai Indians' XI was a batter short against LSG even though they took first guard. This was presumably because they wanted the flexibility of an additional bowler in case their top order batted through the innings.

The strategy wasn't a bad one on paper, but it's generally only viable when one or both of the openers can be subbed out. Both Rohit and Kishan needed to be present for the second innings, as did Green. Only their Nos. 4 and 5, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, were candidates to be replaced.

It meant that Nehal Wadhera came to the crease only in the 17th over, batting at No. 7. Tim David was promoted ahead of him, and the move didn't pay off. Mumbai also had to bat slower since they didn't know whether they were going to use their impact player in the first innings.

The idea was right, but MI's current batting order doesn't allow it. It cost them a few runs against LSG, which luckily didn't prove fatal.