2 months ago
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Mumbai Indians has traditionally been the bogey squad for Kolkata Knight Riders, peculiarly astatine the Wankhede Stadium, wherever the location broadside enjoys a commanding 10-2 head-to-head record.
Yet, past offers a funny counterpoint — the past clip MI won its season-opener was backmost successful 2012. Such contrasting trends marque it hard to prime a wide favourite purely connected numbers. But, if contiguous circumstances are thing to spell by, the scales tilt decisively successful favour of the big up of Sunday night’s Indian Premier League clash betwixt the erstwhile champions.
And it is not conscionable astir MI’s star-studded line-up oregon the familiarity of location conditions. The visitors get with concerns implicit their pace-bowling resources. Mustafizur Rahman’s BCCI-enforced exit has already weakened the attack, and the consequent season-ending injuries to Harshit Rana and Akash Deep person compounded the problem. With Matheesha Pathirana’s availability inactive uncertain, KKR’s death-bowling options are stretched.
As a result, the Kolkata outfit volition trust heavy connected its trusted rotation duo — Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy — to incorporate a formidable MI batting line-up.
The five-time champion, meanwhile, finds itself successful the enviable presumption of having plentifulness of options. With 4 members of India’s caller triumphant T20 World Cup squad, on with different erstwhile World Cup-winning captain, the squad appears balanced and well-rounded.
The lack of Will Jacks and Mitchell Santner — some stars who acceptable the World Cup connected occurrence are yet to articulation the squad — is improbable to interest the squad management.
Afghanistan’s enigma spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who missed past play owed to injury, is acceptable and available, further strengthening MI’s bowling reserves.
There were encouraging signs during training, too. Jasprit Bumrah bowled with a abbreviated run-up, ending speculation implicit his availability.
And a leaner and fitter Rohit Sharma volition beryllium anxious to travel bully against an hostile helium has traditionally enjoyed facing.
