MI, GT in high-voltage faceoff as race for playoffs intensifies

Gujarat Titans’ Rashid Khan during a practice session ahead of the IPL match against Mumbai Indians.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Another run-feast awaits when Mumbai Indians squares off against Gujarat Titans in an IPL
 match at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

As the race for the play-offs intensifies, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene confirmed that the fixture will be played on the same strip that was used for the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru
 last month. In that game, both teams scored 200-plus runs, with RCB eventually having the last laugh.

Rohit Sharma trains ahead of Mumbai Indians’ match against Gujarat Titans in Mumbai.
| Photo Credit:
EMMANUAL YOGINI

The MI camp looks confident after winning six in a row. With the best Net Run Rate among all teams, it needs two wins from  the remaining three matches to ensure a direct spot in the final four, and the fact that it will play two of these games at home, comes as a huge boost.

Mumbai’s batting line-up is well-oiled and with all its stars – including Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma among runs, the team will be hoping to keep the momentum going.

It’s star-studded bowling unit, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, has indeed been a force to reckon with, and with the Indian star in form, along with Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar and captain Hardik Pandya, it will be a challenge for the Titans batters to live up to expectations.

So far, the Titans’ top-order has enjoyed success with the troika of B. Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler and skipper  Shubman Gill dominating the show. However, they need to be cautious against Mumbai bowlers. While spinner Rashid Khan’s form has been a concern, the return of Kagiso Rabada will bolster GT’s bowling unit.