In the 13th game of the 13th edition of Indian Premier League 2020, Kings XI Punjab are up against the struggling Mumbai Indians at Sheikh Zayed Stadium. A win here for KL Rahul’s Kings XI Punjab will propel them to the top of the table.
In their previous game, Rajasthan Royals defeated the Punjab outfit despite the Punjab side scoring a humongous 223 at the end of 20 overs. The captain was unhappy about his team’s bowling as they failed to defend 51 from the last three overs. the lack of variation in the bowling affected Kings’ performance on Sunday.
⬆️ happened the last time we faced #MI! 💥
Who wants to see this again? 😍#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 #KXIP #KXIPvMI @klrahul11 pic.twitter.com/kG1EzZk8Sr
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) October 1, 2020
It’s still the early phase in the league and Anil Kumble has to sort out the bowling woes. It was a short and small ground at Sharjah but Mumbai Indians are a dangerous team on any ground. Kings XI will have to put a strong show if they are to achieve something from the game.
Here are the top three picks for Kings XI Punjab against Mumbai Indians who can win the games for their side on Thursday:
#1) Nicholas Pooran
The swash-buckling wicket-keeper batsman from West Indies, Nicholas Pooran is yet to come to the party in the ongoing Indian Premier League. The left-hand batsmen haven’t been able to leave the mark for his side on the pitch which could guarantee his selection for the next match. However, his quick-fire 25 from 8 deliveries in Sharjah might be the game that could build his confidence in going to the league.
Being one of the top three picks for Kings XI Punjab, Nicolas Pooran is helpful in fielding too. His superb save of four runs, in which he avoided a sixer of Sanju Samson has gained accolades from the cricket world. The fans were awed by his efforts. Pooran will hope to provide the impetus to the team with the league slowly heating up.
#2) Glen Maxwell
The Australian all-rounder is yet to prove himself in IPL 2020. In one of the smaller cricket stadiums across the UAE, the player failed to exploit the conditions and score heavily. He could notch up only 13 runs from nine deliveries. However, the captain will be relieved as he has found some scoring touch in the last game.
In the ongoing league, though Glen Maxwell has failed to score in bulk, he has provided the breaks for his captain, KL Rahul. Glen Maxwell is a handy off-break ruler who has took wickets at regular intervals. The coach and team management has invested in the player and might repay the faith in a big game against Mumbai Indians.
#3) KL Rahul
Ever-consistent batsman, KL Rahul has found his touch in the league from the second game of the IPL 2020 itself. The player notched up a great century against Royal Challengers Bangalore and a befitting half-century against Rajasthan Royals. Currently, KL Rahul is the orange cap holder with 222 runs to his name. Mayank Agarwal, Rahul’s batting partner, is just one run behind him and KL Rahul will look to move far from the fellow player.
KL Rahul will be one of the top three picks from the Punjab side to watch out for against Mumbai Indians. Mumbai Indians have a big bowling line-up and KL Rahul has a major role to play when the sides square off.
