Mumbai hope for big win to keep RCB at bay as playoff race enters last stretch: MI's predicted XI vs SRH

In order to qualify for the playoffs MI need to beat SRH while also hoping that RCB lose to GT in Bangalore.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 21. The Rohit Sharma-led side lost their last game to LSG in Lucknow. In order to qualify for the playoffs MI need to beat SRH while also hoping that RCB lose to GT in Bangalore so that MI could go through. MI will also need to win by a large margin as they need to improve their net run-rate, as if RCB also beat GT the two teams will end on the same number of points and the team with the better NRR will go through. MI have so far won seven and lost six of their thirteen games this season.

MI will be looking for a big win so as to give their NRR a boost (AFP)

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. They lost consecutive games against PBKS and defending champions GT. MI chased down 213 in a thrilling match at the Wankhede Stadium against RR. MI then put on a chasing master class as Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav's helped their side chase down 215 against PBKS. Then MI lost to CSK for the second time this season.

Then MI have beaten RCB and GT in consecutive games. But last time out they lost a close encounter to LSG by 5 runs. MI made a great start to their batting innings and looked well on their way to chase down the 178-run target but after the openers departed the middle-order lost their way as the required-rate kept climbing and LSG eventually successfully defended 11 runs off the final over to snatch the victory away from MI.

Suryakumar Yadav is the top-scorer for the team with 486 runs so far this season at an astonishing strike rate of 186. Tilak Varma has so far scored 274 runs at a strike rate of 158, but has missed the last few games due to injury but MI hope to have him back fit soon. Ishan Kishan has been in good form this season and has scored 425 runs so far. Skipper Rohit Sharma has scored only 257 runs in the 13 games so far. He is having another inconsistent season and MI will hope that their talismanic captain gets back to his best sooner rather than later. Cameron Green has also chipped in with 281 runs so far. Both Tim David and Nehal Wadhera have also chipped in with over 200 runs so far.

The MI bowlers bowled well for the majority of the innings against LSG and did well to restrict them to a gettable total. Although Chris Jordan has conceded eleven runs an over in three games so far, he is expected to continue in the side. Behrendorff is expected to be the other overseas bowler in the line-up. He has picked up 14 wickets so far.

Riley Meredith has also chipped in with 7 wickets this season. 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 20 wickets so far at an economy of 7. Cameron Green has chipped in with 6 wickets. Arshad Khan, Akash Madhwal and Kumar Kartikeya have chipped in with 14 wickets between them so far.

MI's predicted XI vs SRH

Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk).

Middle Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Nehal Wadhera, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod.

All-rounders: Cameron Green.

Bowlers: Chris Jordan, Jason Behrendorff, Piyush Chawla, Hrithik Shokeen.

Impact Player

Hrithik Shokeen and Arjun Tendulkar have chipped in with some important scalps too. Vishnu Vinod, Akash Madhwal, Arjun, Hrithik Shokeen or Sandeep Warrier could be Impact player options for MI.