Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2023 on April 25 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Rohit Sharma-led side lost their last game to PBKS in Mumbai after a three-game winning run. MI have so far won three and lost three of their six games this season. MI lost to RCB and CSK in their opening two games but then bounced back with three wins in a row against DC, KKR and SRH. Mumbai Indians lost the last game to Punjab as they fell short by 13 runs while chasing a target of 215 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.
Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav scored half-centuries but MI could not do enough to chase the 215-run target set by the PBKS batters as the MI bowlers were hit all over the park as PBKS amassed 96 runs in the last five overs.
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Tilak Varma is currently the top run-getter for the team with 217 runs. Ishan Kishan has scored 170 runs and skipper Rohit Sharma has scored 179 runs in the six games so far. Cameroon Green has chipped in with 166 runs after two consecutive 50-plus scores in the last two games. SKY has also scored 123 runs so far after his half-century against PBKS.
Jofra Archer returned to the team after recovering from injury but was expensive against PBKS. All the bowlers were expensive other than Piyush Chawla and Hrithik Shokeen. Jason Behrendorff and Riley Meredith have done well this season. The two have picked a combined 12 wickets between them so far.
{{/usCountry}}Jofra Archer returned to the team after recovering from injury but was expensive against PBKS. All the bowlers were expensive other than Piyush Chawla and Hrithik Shokeen. Jason Behrendorff and Riley Meredith have done well this season. The two have picked a combined 12 wickets between them so far.
{{/usCountry}}Piyush Chawla has been the surprise package for MI so far this season. The veteran spinner is the top wicket-taker for the side with 9 wickets so far. Cameron Green has also chipped in with 5 wickets. Hrithik Shokeen has also chipped in with a couple of scalps. Arjun Tendulkar had bowled well before the PBKS game, but conceded 48 runs in his three overs against them including a 31-run over. He could be replaced in the playing eleven with Arshad Khan or Sandeep Warrier.
Nehal Wadhera, Arjun Tendulkar or Sandeep Warrier could be Impact player options for MI against GT. The batters have finally started delivering for MI but they will need their bowlers to support the batsmen if they are to get into the playoffs because as the halfway stage of the tournament approaches MI look like one of the weaker sides in the league alongside KKR, SRH and DC.
Here’s MI likely XI vs GT:
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk).
Middle Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David.
All-Rounders: Cameron Green, Hrithik Shokeen.
Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Jason Behrendorff, Piyush Chawla, Arshad Khan
Impact Player
MI could use Nehal Wadhera, Arjun Tendulkar or Sandeep Warrier for the Impact Player options.