In the last league match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be locking horns with the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. It’ll be a do-or-die game for SRH as it will be a chance for them to become the fourth team to qualify for the playoffs. A win in Sharjah will take them through to yet another playoff appearance.
And although they have a stern test in front of them on Tuesday, they should be very proud of the way things have panned out for them in IPL 2020, even after the injuries to the likes of Vijay Shankar, Mitchell Marsh, and spearhead Bhuvneshwar Kumar. They will be heavily reliant on Rashid Khan to bowl well in the middle overs, with a win guaranteeing them the third spot on the IPL points table.
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The odds of an SRH win are pretty high since MI is already standing at the top of the table. With nothing left to play for in the league stage except for momentum, MI will be expected to rest a couple of players such as Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, who have been utterly sensational in this year’s IPL. The reverse fixture between the two teams saw the Mumbai Indians thrash the Sunrisers Hyderabad at this very venue by 34 runs courtesy of a Trent Boult masterclass.
As the two sides prepare for a thrilling encounter, here’s a look at three key player battles to keep an eye on.
#1. Suryakumar Yadav vs T Natarajan
Suryakumar Yadav has taken it upon himself to deliver the goods for MI. In 13 matches, Kohli has smashed 374 runs at a strike rate of 122.54. Thrice, Virat has crossed the fifty mark three times, batting in his trademark style. Yadav’s ability to build his innings and go berserk in the death overs is a massive plus for MI.
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The SRH pacer, T Natarajan has been able to prove his worth for SRH as he scalped 14 wickets in the season so far. Against Yadav, though, Natarajan will have his task cut out. Suryakumar Yadav will look to unsettle one of the best bowlers of modern-day cricket.
#2. David Warner vs Rahul Chahar
The stand-in SRH skipper, David Warner has had a below-par tournament thus far by his own high standards but on his day remains a formidable opponent regardless of the format, such is his ability to fashion run-scoring opportunities. Rahul Chahar has been MI’s go-to man whenever they needed wickets and they will hope he can dismiss the SRH skipper early and thus increase their chances of a victory.
#3. Hardik Pandya vs Rashid Khan
On Tuesday, Rashid Khan will come across the might of the flamboyant MI batsman, Hardik Pandya, whose recent inning against RR has been something else altogether. Rashid has played just every match for SRH he has scalped 18 wickets in the 13 matches so far and maintained an economy of 5.07.
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Rashid’s economy will surely be challenged by Hardik, who has so far played nine games for 241 runs at an insane strike rate of 174.63! He has so far hit 14 sixes and 20 fours in IPL 2020. The last time the two teams met this year, Pandya went berserk in the slog overs.
