In the upcoming clash between Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, both teams are eager to bounce back from recent losses. Mumbai, after a narrow defeat to Gujarat Titans, will be seeking redemption, while Hyderabad, coming off a close loss to Kolkata Knight Riders, aims to return to the winning column.
Despite showcasing notable performances in their opening encounter, Mumbai Indians fell short in their chase against Gujarat Titans. Notable contributions from Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling, Dewald Brevis’ impactful innings, and Rohit Sharma’s aggressive batting at the top couldn’t secure them a victory.
Known for their slow starts, Mumbai must rectify their errors to remain competitive in the fiercely contested tournament. In a surprising move, Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya demoted himself to number seven in the batting order, opting to elevate Tim David and Brevis.
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Facing Hyderabad on their home ground presents Mumbai with another challenging task. Pat Cummins’ leadership was evident in Hyderabad’s resilient display against Kolkata, where Heinrich Klaasen nearly orchestrated a miraculous win. However, aside from notable performances by Mayank Agarwal and Abhishek Sharma, Hyderabad’s batting lineup struggled, underscoring the need for consistency. In Hyderabad’s quest for success, the performance of Abdul Samad, a promising pinch hitter, becomes crucial.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
Deploying Pat Cummins and Washington Sundar early in the innings could prove advantageous for SRH. Cummins has a history of dismissing Ishan Kishan four times in previous IPL encounters, while Sundar has accounted for Rohit Sharma’s wicket on three occasions. Additionally, SRH could rely on Bhuvneshwar Kumar to challenge Hardik Pandya, considering Kumar has dismissed the MI captain twice before.
Probable XI: Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan [Impact sub: Abhishek Sharma for Natarajan].
Mumbai Indians (MI)
Piyush Chawla emerges as a viable option against Mayank Agarwal, who has succumbed to right-arm legspinners nine times since IPL 2021, boasting a modest strike rate of 111.39 against them. Moreover, Jasprit Bumrah presents a formidable threat to Agarwal, having claimed his wicket three times in just 16 deliveries.
However, the SRH management should exercise caution regarding an excessive reliance on spin against Heinrich Klaasen. While Klaasen has demonstrated prowess against slower bowlers, amassing 648 runs at a staggering strike rate of 190.32 since January 2023, he has also fallen prey to spinners nine times. Notably, four of these dismissals have come against right-arm wrist spinners.
Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Hardik Pandya (c), Tim David, Shams Mulani, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah, Luke Wood [Impact sub: Dewald Brevis for Wood].
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma (c), Mayank Agarwal, Tilak Varma, Aiden Markram, Hardik Pandya, Marco Jansen, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), T Natarajan, Gerald Coatzee
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Heinrich Klaasen, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Aiden Markram (vc), Marco Jansen, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Pat Cummins, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Gerald Coetzee
