Kings X1 Punjab will take on Mumbai Indians at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Both teams have lost their last match and will be keen to get back to winning ways. MI lost a super over to RCB while as Kings X1 were not able to defend a 220+ total against RR. MI might go with the same team as Kishan, who played splendidly for his 99, has sealed his spot on basis of past performance.
GAME 🔛 🎮#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 #KXIP #KXIPvMI pic.twitter.com/sWpVSq1EWh
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) October 1, 2020
Top-order batting was not able to build any momentum through the first half of their chase and which left Kishan-Pollard with a lot of catching up. Both took the game to super over where they could not hit enough runs. Decock, Rohit, Surya would like to play with more intent as playing dot balls upfront puts a lot of pressure oncoming players. MI would also be hoping for a better show from their bowlers and would like to see Bumrah get back to his best. Fielding also needs to be addressed as MI drop Finch early on and he made them pay by scoring a fifty.
Dropping any player in King’s top order would be catastrophic. Kings X1 would be very disheartened by not winning a game where they had to defend 84 of last 5 overs. Batting has been excellent with both openers making runs and middle-order contributing too. Punjab team will hope that the openers continue their good run. If both openers fell cheaply how will middle-order fare then need to be seen.
Bowlers would want to forget the last outing and with bigger boundaries at Abu Dhabi would feel happy. Cottrell, Shami all would be hoping to bowl like the way they did in the opening encounter against Delhi. Their spinners have given a good account of themselves with Bishnoi looking a good prospect. Their fielding looked good with Pooran saving a six, Cottrell with a magnificent effort to save a boundary in a match against RR and Jonty Rhodes would hope for continuation in that department. Looking at both teams and their performance in the last match MI look favourites for the clash.
