So, here we are, the last day of the league stage, and we still are yet to find the fourth team to qualify for the playoffs. It’s a doubleheader Friday, and for Match 55, we have the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians. After yesterday’s gigantic win by KKR, they have almost qualified as MI has a huge ladder to climb to match their net run rate to qualify. On the other, Kane Williamson’s Sunrisers Hyderabad has nothing to lose. They are simply playing to finish the tournament on a good note by winning the match. The match is scheduled in Abu Dhabi and let us see what we have in our hands for the fixture between these two mighty teams.
IPL History: Head-to-head
When it comes to IPL history, these two sides have been consistent and are neck to neck as only a single game differentiates them in head-to-head. These two sides have met 17 times in IPL history, and MI has won 9 while SRH has won 8 games. Both teams have had a great bowling line-up over the years, which has led to tight games between them. But, in the last five encounters, MI has bossed SRH by winning four out of five. It is mainly because of the inconsistency in captaincy and team management of SRH. In their last fixture in India, MI convincingly defeated SRH by 13 runs on a slow track in Chennai. It was a Pollard show as he dominated with both bat and ball to seal MI a victory over SRH. The second leg is crucial for MI as they need to create magic by defeating SRH with a margin of 171 runs to seal their spot for the playoffs.
Players to watch out for – SRH vs MI in IPL history
When it comes to performing against each other, two players from each team have been the standout players for their side in this fixture. For MI, it is the mighty West-Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard. Pollard has hit some fascinating quick-fire innings for MI against SRH and has won many games for them. He has scored at a rate of 148.22 in 16 matches. He has scored 418 runs at an extraordinary average of 46.44, which is commendable for a lower middle-order batsman like Pollard. Against SRH, Pollard has performed brilliantly, and his team needs an exhilarating performance from the big man for his team to qualify.
The other star player in this fixture is SRH’s veteran pacer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In 11 matches against Mumbai Indians, Bhuvneshwar has picked up 16 wickets. He also has an impressive economy rate of 6.61 against a mighty batting line-up of MI. Bhuvneshwar is a key bowler for SRH in this match.
Players to watch out for – IPL 2021 form
The main reason for the downfall of SRH in IPL 2021 is the poor form of their prime batsmen like Warner, Pandey, etc. But, the SRH captain has handled the ship in their wins and is their highest run-scorer in IPL 2021. Williamson has hit 266 runs at an average of 44.33. Even though his strike rate is not one of the best, he has provided stability to this vulnerable SRH batting and is the most crucial player in this team.
Over the years, Bumrah has been the best bowler in this MI bowling attack. This year too, Bumrah is their highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets in 13 matches. He has been economical, bowling at a rate of 7.27. Bumrah has been bowling the crucial overs for MI and has provided breakthroughs for his team consistently. Bumrah is an important player in this match as he needs to bring his best form and clean up this SRH batting line-up as quickly as possible for MI to have a chance at qualifying for the playoffs.
What to expect – Probable XI
SRH will go into this match with nothing to lose. They should play freely and try to post a win and end their disappointing campaign with a win. They allowed youngsters to showcase their talent and also looked out for prospects for the coming year. Abhishek Sharma was given a chance to open the batting, and Umran Malik impressed one and all with his sheer pace. After their stunning win against RCB, we expect them to go with the same winning combination.
MI looked like a strong side after a huge win against RR in Sharjah. We expect only one change, Rahul Chahar replacing Jayant Yadav. Ishan Kishan was bought into the side to open in place of De Kock, and he displayed a phenomenal act of batting. Neesham also proved his skills by picking up three wickets. MI has a huge task in front of them. They need to win the match by 171 runs if they get a chance to bat first. MI will make history if it accomplishes this almost impossible task.