MI Predicted Playing XI vs LSG for Match 48 of IPL 2024

The Mumbai Indians (MI) will lock horns with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 48 of IPL 2024 at the Ekana Stadium on Tuesday, April 30.

With three wins in nine matches, the five-time IPL champions are on the brink of elimination. They could drop to last place if they lose in Lucknow, and their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. However, it's difficult to see what Mumbai can do to make their team combination significantly better.

MI's squad for IPL 2024: Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya (c), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Harvik Desai, Arjun Tendulkar, Shams Mulani, Nehal Wadhera, Jasprit Bumrah, Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Luke Wood, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Anshul Kamboj, Naman Dhir, Shreyas Gopal, Kwena Maphaka, Gerald Coetzee, Mohammad Nabi, Shivalik Sharma

On that note, here is MI's predicted playing XII (including one impact sub) for Match 48 of IPL 2024 against LSG.

---

Openers: Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan (wk)

Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan have flattered to deceive in the last two matches, and they will need to come good if MI are to mount a sustained run of wins. Up against Mohsin Khan and Matt Henry, the openers will want to be aggressive from the outset.

---

Middle Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, and Mohammad Nabi

Suryakumar Yadav has blown hot and cold in IPL 2024. Although he has two half-centuries and has struck the ball well, he hasn't been as consistent as he'd have liked.

Tilak Varma, though, has been one of MI's standout batters this year. He, along with Nehal Wadhera and Hardik Pandya, will make up the backbone of the middle order.

If Mumbai want the possibility of fielding an extra bowler in Kumar Kartikeya, they could use Wadhera as an impact sub and only bring him on if a batting collapse transpires.

Tim David and Mohammad Nabi are difficult to drop, even though both players haven't been utilized fully so far. Romario Shepherd could start on the bench, having missed out on the last few matches.

---

Lower Order: Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Nuwan Thushara

Nuwan Thushara hasn't quite made an impression in the two games he has played but remains one of MI's better pace-bowling options. The Sri Lankan could be partnered by Gerald Coetzee, who was unavailable for the last game.

Luke Wood was terribly expensive in Delhi and is unlikely to be trusted for this encounter. There's the possibility of MI wanting an extra spinner instead of Coetzee as Wood's replacement, but that might leave them without enough pace firepower in the powerplay and through the middle overs.

Piyush Chawla is expected to continue as the lead spinner.

---

MI's predicted playing XII (inc impact sub): Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Nehal Wadhera, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, Nuwan Thushara

Other impact sub candidates: Harvik Desai, Naman Dhir, Shams Mulani, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya