After Chennai Super Kings registered a victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the last over of the game, Mumbai Indians have automatically qualified as the first team to the playoffs. In the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League where the competition for a playoff spot is too competitive, Mumbai Indians enjoy the luxury to sit back and enjoy the other two of their games before gearing up for playoffs.
Despite getting qualified for the knockout stage, Mumbai Indians will look to extend their dominance in IPL 2020. They will hope to finish in the two spots with a victory over Delhi Capitals on Saturday. They are the only team in Indian Premier League who have avoided two consecutive defeats and are on the back of a victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in their previous game.
In the past two games, it can be noted that Mumbai Indians’ bowling line-up has over-relied on Jasprit Bumrah for wickets. They have found it difficult to remove the batsmen in the initial overs of the game and it has caused harm to the team. The team has to chunk out this iron before they lock the horns in the playoffs.
#MI match number 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ in @IPL 😍💙#OneFamily #MumbaiIndians #Dream11IPL #DCvMI @KieronPollard55 @surya_14kumar @hardikpandya7 @Jaspritbumrah93 pic.twitter.com/4I4Q1Dvvb1
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) October 31, 2020
It requires a great performance from the side to register the victory against a well-balanced Delhi Capitals line-up. Here are the top three picks for Mumbai Indians for the game against the capital-based outfit on Saturday:
#1) Hardik Pandya
Though known as an all-rounder, Hardik Pandya hasn’t been utilized as a bowler by the Mumbai Indians management in IPL 2020. The player struggled to find the rhythm in the first half of the tournament but as the season progressed, Hardik Pandya has become one of the dangerous hitters of the ball. The last two-three innings are the testimonial for that.
In IPL 2020, Hardik Pandya has 241 runs in 12 games, averaging just above 34. However, it is his strike rate that has caused problems for the bowlers. He has struck the ball at a strike rate of 174.63 and can be a cause of concern for the opposition. He will be one of the top three picks for Mumbai Indians on Saturday.
#2) Quinton de Kock
The South African wicket-keeper batsman has played a big role in getting Mumbai Indians back on to the winning track after suffering few defeats in the first half of the season. Quinton de Kock will be one of the top three picks for Mumbai Indians considering his performances in the past week or so.
In the ongoing edition of the IPL, Quinton de Kock has scored close to 400 runs in 12 games while averaging 39.20. At the top of the order, the player has balanced the mantle in the absence of Rohit Sharma. He will look to continue his performance against Delhi Capitals too.
#3) Keiron Pollard
The stand-in captain for Mumbai Indians in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Keiron Pollard has played a vital role with both bat and ball in the tournament. In the previous game, Royal Challengers Bangalore were all set for a huge score with AB de Villiers and Devdutt Padikkal settling in perfectly. However, the player triggered the collapse of RCB by removing AB in the 15th over. This in turn helped the team to restrict RCB for a modest total.
Possessing hitting abilities, KP will look to be more threatening against Delhi Capitals on Saturday. With Mumbai Indians looking for a top-two finish, the player will have a big role to play against DC.
