IPL 2018, Match 47, Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals - Match Prediction
Updated - 13 May 2018, 06:56 PM
The 47th encounter of Vivo IPL 11 is expected to be a crackerjack of a contest. Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals have both kept their hopes alive in the tournament with some impressive performances in the recent past.
Mumbai Indians, in particular, has been on a role and has registered a hat-trick of victories. Their backs were against the wall. However, they bounced back strongly to win their last three games which have strengthened their bid for the playoffs berth.
Mumbai defeated the Kolkata Knight Riders in their last two matches. While at Wankhede, they registered a hard-fought 13-run victory at KKR’s home ground, Eden Gardens. Eventually, they ended up winning the clash by a humongous margin of 102 runs.
It was a great all-round performance by Mumbai. They will surely look to continue their dominant run which will further help them qualify for the playoffs. Their batting department looks pretty settled. The form of Suryakumar Yadav has been a huge positive for Mumbai. He has provided Mumbai with reasonable starts on most occasions which has eventually helped them make a dramatic return in the tournament. They did play some impressive brand of cricket in their last three matches.
Young gun Ishan Kishan was at his flamboyant best, as he smashed national bowler Kuldeep Yadav for four consecutive sixes in an over. It was carnage on display by the youngster who also hit a helicopter shot.
He resembled quite a bit of Dhoni. The only difference was that Ishan is a left-handed batsman. Hardik Pandya’s wicket-taking abilities have been another main reason behind Mumbai’s comeback in the tournament.
The last time Rajasthan met Mumbai, the former clinched a nail-biting thriller from the jaws of defeat. It was a hell of a knock from Krishnappa Gowtham. He remained unbeaten on 33 off just 11 deliveries, as Rajasthan chased the target down in the final over. It was brilliant hitting by the 29-yeard old. Gowtham meanwhile will also look to come good with the ball in hand.
The form of Jos Buttler at the top of the order has been a blessing in disguise for Rajasthan. Ever since being elevated as the opener of the franchise, Buttler has looked a different baseman. He has smashed the boundaries at will and has scored four fifties in four matches. Jofra Archer has also performed quite well after making his debut.
After setting up a few victories, Buttler will look to continue his golden touch. He has smashed four fifties ever since being promoted, as the opener. Jofra Archer’s pace might prove to decisive in the end. He can bowl terrific Yorkers on a consistent basis. Rajasthan won against the Chennai Super Kings in the previous match which eventually helped them keep the tournament alive.
Also Read – IPL 2018: Becoming the First Team to Qualify for the Playoffs is Special – Yusuf Pathan
Team Combinations
Mumbai Indians
They will surely look to continue with their winning combination. They won three matches on a trot and Rohit Sharma and the head coach, Mahela Jayawerdene will be impressed with the fact. Hence the team is expected to field the same playing XI until there is an injury issue at the last hour.
Predicted XI: Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan (wk), JP Duminy, Krunal Pandya, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan has hardly played the same combination. However, it might be the case for today’s clash. However, Rajasthan has failed to fix a certain playing XI and keep backing them.
Predicted XI: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Prashant Chopra/Rahul Tripathi, Stuart Binny, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Ankit Sharma/Shreyas Gopal, Jaydev Unadkat, Ish Sodhi.
Match Prediction
In this situation, Mumbai are the clear big time favourites against almost all the teams. They have a knack for making brilliant comebacks, and they will surely want to continue their winning run. So my predictor’s hat says, Mumbai Indians.
Also Read: IPL 2018: Red-Hot Rishabh Pant Breaks Gautam Gambhir’s 11-Year Old Record
Tagged:
Rajasthan Royals Rohit Sharma