Two teams with huge fan bases, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will go up against each other in Match 22 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The game will be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, April 16.
After another slow start, Mumbai opened their account with a tight win over the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Delhi in their last game. The Rohit Sharma-led unit are currently placed ninth in the IPL 2023 points table with one win from three matches.
KKR, meanwhile, are placed fifth with two wins and two losses from four games. They pulled off an incredible chase against Gujarat Titans (GT) before ending up short against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last time around.
The day game in Wankhede is expected to be a run-fest. With both teams having quality batters in their ranks, fans should expect a high-scoring encounter.
On that note, let's take a shot at predicting the three batters who could score the most runs in today's match between MI and KKR.
#3 Tilak Verma - MI
Tilak Verma showed glimpses of his talent in IPL 2022. That season, the talented youngster scored 397 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 36.09.
Verma started this season with a bang, scoring 84* from just 46 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He has looked in supreme touch while batting, playing both pace and spin admirably well.
With players like Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav struggling for form, Verma's contribution have become even more vital for MI.
#2 Nitish Rana - KKR
After a sluggish start with the bat, Nitish Rana has shown how lethal he can be against any opposition. He scored a fiery 29-ball 45 against Gujarat Titans (GT) before mustering 75 runs off just 41 balls against Hyderabad.
Both his knocks have come in a run-chase, meaning that the left-hander doesn't get bogged down under pressure. He and Rinku Singh form a vital pair in the middle-order for KKR and the duo will aim to do well against MI as well.
Having previously played for MI in his career, Rana is not new to bat at the Wankhede Stadium and has scored 412 IPL runs across 15 innings at the venue.
#1 Rohit Sharma - MI
No surprises here, with Rohit Sharma being the prime candidate to shine with the bat against KKR. The MI skipper's sumptuous record against KKR is well-documented.
In the 31 innings he has played against KKR, Rohit has mustered 1020 runs (the most by any batter against them) at an average of 42.5 and at a strike rate of 129.7.
Moreover, the KKR bowlers will be on their toes as Rohit has now also found great form, top-scoring for MI in the previous game against DC. He was adjudged as Player of the Match for his 65-run knock.
Given his stupendous record against KKR, MI fans will hope for another big innings by their skipper at home ground on Sunday.
Looking for fast live cricket scores? Download CricRocket and get fast score updates, top-notch commentary in-depth match stats & much more! 🚀☄️