IPL Match 24, Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (MI vs KKR): Match Preview

In the final game of this VIVO IPL season that will be played at the Wankhede Stadium, the Mumbai Indians take on the Kolkata Knight Riders before they shift base to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Rajasthan. The Mumbai Indians earned their third victory of this season against the Kings XI Punjab, winning by 25 runs. The Mumbai batters have been performing admirably with the likes of Parthiv Patel and Ambati Rayudu stepping up to the occasion against the Kings XI.

The Kolkata Knight Riders have been the complete team in this season. The batsmen have taken their responsibilities and made sure there is no collapse in the unit. The good spirits amongst the bowlers have helped them to bowl with consistency and take wickets at regular intervals. The Knight Riders have already registered 4 wins from 5 matches and are well on their to sealing a berth in the top 4.

The Wankhede Stadium provides a top batting wicket. The last time the Mumbai Indians faced the Knight Riders on this wicket, it was a run fest. The Knight Riders set a target of 188 for the Indians which was achieved by them with ease in the end. The dew factor might come on to play with the team chasing having an advantage with the spinners not being able to grip the ball.

Match Date and Time: 28 April 2016, 2000 hrs ISTMatch Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Weather:

Temperature: Max 32°c, Min 30°cHumidity: Max 65%Wind: 15 km per hour

Pitch Report: Par-score 160. Flat out batting wicket. Some assistance for the seamers.

In-Depth Analysis:

The Knight Riders will most likely go with an unchanged side for the game against the Mumbai Indians. Though skipper got out early against the Supergiants, the young batsmen Suryakumar Yadav took charge and made sure that the Knight Riders were right on track of reaching the target. With middle order batsmen Yusuf Pathan and Andre Russel whacking a few lusty blows, the Knight Riders look set to reach a big total on this batting wicket against the Mumbai Indians.

The bowlers have been important as well in contributing to the team’s victories. The Caribbean spinner seems to have found his magic as he has been hard to play against. The spinner has picked up a total of 3 wickets in 3 matches played with an economy rate of just under 7. The Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been a necessary addition as he is capable of bowling even during the powerplay period.

The 45-year-old Australian Brad Hogg has missed out playing due the limit of foreign players in the team. The Knight Riders could always go back to the chinaman as he has been a mystery for the batsmen. He has impressed everyone with his smart bowling and has already picked up 3 wickets in just the 2 matches he has taken part in.

The Mumbai Indians have already shown that they can take on any team in this competition as they are the only team to beat the Knight Riders so far in this season. Skipper Rohit Sharma’s innings will be crucial as he can be unstoppable once he gets going. With Parthiv Patel also proving in the previous match against the Kings XI that he can be a reliable opener, the openers will have to set the platform for the big hitters in their team.

Jos Buttler is just the right kind of excitement needed for this kind of a tournament. The England International has played breath-taking shots all round the park and doesn’t require time to get going. He is a proven match winner and if he bats around the 13 over mark, he will do some major damage to the Knight Riders.

Another player who has grabbed the opportunities with both hands is Krunal Pandya. The 24-year-old all-rounder has been sensational in his batting and bowling performances. Bowling his left arm off spin, Pandya has kept it tight and has stepped up whenever his side required some spark. He has picked up 3 wickets in the 5 matches he has played in with an economy rate of six and a half runs per over.

Kiwi International Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan have been superb with the new ball. Making the batsmen dance to their tunes, the duo has been a threat to the batsmen throughout this season. With Jasprit Bumrah bowling world-class yorkers in the death of the innings, the Indians will be hard to get past.

The Mumbai Indians are well used to the Wankhede pitch and will want to win it for the fans who will be witnessing their last IPL match for this season. A