Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers will face off against each other in the 48th game of this IPL in Abu Dhabi and the winner will most likely finish in the top-2. Virat Kohli has scored runs but has not been at his usual best in the past few games. Kieron Pollard will captain MI once again as Rohit Sharma is not fit yet and his injury is more serious than deemed initially. RCB beat MI in a super over the finish in a high-scoring contest early on in the reverse fixture.
RCB may have lost its last game against CSK but are still in comfortable positions for an advantageous top-2 finish. If they are able to defeat MI for the 2nd time in this IPL, it will give them a lot of confidence going into the business end of this IPL. Batting first vs CSK, they could manage only 145 runs with Finch again failing to score big runs, Padikkal slowing down after a brisk start and Virat-ABD slow partnership didn’t help the cause either. There wasn’t much for their bowlers to defend and eventually lost by 8 wickets.
MI too lost their game against the Rajasthan Royals thanks to a stunning assault by Ben Stokes who scored a match-winning 107. Batting first, MI posted a mammoth 195 runs on the board with Hardik Pandya finally scored a vintage knock of 60 runs from 21 balls and the team will be happy with his form. Their bowlers especially the 5th bowling option has gone for many runs and will be an area of concern.
Key Players
Batsman – Quinton De Kock, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, and Aaron Finch.
Quinton De Kock has been the most consistent batsman for MI and is their highest run-scorer this season. His makeshift opening partner Ishan Kishan has been in amazing form as of late with good outings in the last 2 games as an opener. With Rohit likely to miss out on this game too, the duo will once again be looked at to provide good starts. Aaron Finch has just 1 fifty-plus score this IPL and has played with a Strike Rate of 111. This is high time he comes well which he has done despite getting a lot of backing from the team management. Virat Kohli will be key for RCB if they have to score big.
All Rounder- Chris Morris, Washington Sundar, Kieron Pollard, and Krunal Pandya.
Chris Morris can be a real difference-maker both with bat and ball. He has been a regular wicket-taker for RCB since his maiden appearance with 9 scalps and is a dangerous player with the bat. Sundar has been effective in the powerplays and is one of the standouts bowlers for them in this IPL. Krunal Pandya has had a mediocre IPL compared to the other MI players and will want to step up.MI will hope Kieron Pollard plays a captain knock with the bat and lead the side well after the last game’s disappointment.
Bowlers – Yuzi Chahal, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rahul Chahar.
Jasprit Bumrah has come back to the rhythm which is good not only for MI but also for India. He is in line to be a possible winner of the purple cap with 17 wickets this season. Rahul Chahar has been one of the stand-out leg spinners in this tournament taking 13 scalps and has an important role to play in the coming games. Chahal is the highest wicket-taker among the spinners this season and is RCB’s main bowler. Umesh Yadav may make his comeback after an injury to Saini and will want to impress with a decent performance.
Battles to look forward
- Rahul Chahar vs Ab De Villiers
- Jasprit Bumrah vs Virat Kohli
- Chris Morris vs Quinton De Kock
We couldn’t see ABD’s usual free-flowing knock last game vs CSK, particularly against their leg-spinners. So MI may use Chahar as a wicket-taking option when the right-hander comes to the crease. Two of the best will collide when Jasprit Bumrah bowls to Virat Kohli in this match. Both have been good form and it will be a treat to watch them both. Chris Morris is a dangerous bowler to face for any batsman and RCB will want him to get an inform QDK early on.
Head to Head between MI and RCB.
- Matches Played: 28
- MI Won: 18
- RCB won: 10
Significant Approaching Milestones.
1- Jasprit Bumrah needs 1 more scalp to reach the 100 IPL wicket mark.
24- Krunal Pandya needs 24 runs to complete 1000 career IPL runs.
31- Kieron Pollard needs 31 more runs to reach 3000 runs milestone in IPL.
7- Ishan Kishan needs 7 more runs to reach 1000 runs milestone in IPL.
Match conditions
Venue: Sheikh Zayed cricket stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Date & Timings: October 28, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST.
Weather: Clear with the temperature around 32 C.
Pitch: Likely to be a slow batting surface with possible due later on.