Follow UsWhile Mumbai have started their season with four losses, Punjab Kings have not just won two games but have shown an attacking nature, never seen before in the Indian Premier League. Their approach of the game is exhilarating, thrilling and most importantly, very modern. And this fixture in the past has seen numerous thrillers, including the twin Super Over clash back in 2020.
Ground Details
Out of the four games at the venue – Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium – in Pune, two games have been won by the side batting first and two games have been won by teams chasing, providing the perfect balance between the two. While the early trend at the venue was teams defending a total, be it Rajasthan Royals or the Gujarat Titans, the trend post the first two clashes has been won by teams chasing.
It is one such venue where the pacers have had plenty of success, with 32 wickets (74.4%), in comparison to the spinners, who have picked up just the 11 wickets. In terms of runs being leaked as well, the pacers have a slight edge, at an ER of 8.3. Expect the pacers of both these sides to come to the party.
Team Selection
Captain Selection
Suryakumar Yadav. That’s the captain! That’s pretty much everything you need to know, isn’t it? The veteran batter for Mumbai Indians have been a revelation for three seasons now, without showing much weakness with his batting. In just the two games this season, the right-hander has scored a 36-ball 52 and then he toppled that with a 37-ball unbeaten 68 against RCB. In both the knocks, Mumbai were under a lot of pressure early on in the game.
Criclytics predicts Suryakumar to score between 45 to 67 runs against PBKS
X-factors
Pune is one of those venues which has made Jaydev Unadkat, the IPL bowler, with his scintillating returns for the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017. At the venue, the left-arm seamer has picked up nine wickets, averaging a meagre 21.8, at an economy rate of 7.6. In the game against RCB, he looked the most threatening of MI bowlers, with figures of 1/30. Add to that, he can bat as well.
Criclytics predicts Unadkat to pick 2-3 wickets against PBKS
Like last time around, Liam Livingstone is the real reason that we talk about X-factors in T20 cricket. He is a real definition of that term. After starting the tournament on a slow note, with just 19 and 19 in the first two games, Livingstone has scored two impactful 60s in the next two games to be a top contender for the X-factor list. Add to that fact that he has picked up two wickets, expect some fireworks from the English all-rounder.
Criclytics predicts Livingstone to score between 22-32 runs against MI and pick 0-1 wickets
Rahul Chahar will be up against his former side, Mumbai Indians. Last time when we saw a leg-spinner facing his former side, it resulted in him having a good time. Chahar has been scintillating form this season, with just seven wickets in the season. The leg-spinner has not gone wicketless this season, picking up at least one wicket in every contest this year.
Criclytics predicts Chahar to pick 2-3 wickets against MI
Here are the top-10 picks as per Criclytics projected points
Probable XIs
Punjab Kings XI: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Odean Smith, M Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh
Mumbai Indians XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Kieron Pollard, Fabian Allen/Mayank Markande, Jaydev Unadkat, Murugan Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Tymal Mills