Published: Apr 12, 2013, 02:08 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 12, 2013, 02:08 PM (IST)
Pune Warriors India ended losing streak in IPL which lasted for 11 matches with a win against Rajasthan Royals © IANS
By Devarchit Varma
Mumbai: Apr 12, 2013
Mumbai Indians and Pune Warriors India will endeavour to maintain their winning momentum when they clash in the 15th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), 2013 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.
While Mumbai will have to address their top order woes which have troubled them in the recent past, the Pune Warriors will be looking to build on the promise of their commanding win over the Rajasthan Royals.
Mumbai openers Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar have failed to provide stability at the top, and though their failure in the last two games have been covered by terrific performances by Dinesh Karthik and the midle-order, the management would hope that the two legends make significant contributions.
Karthik is Mumbai’s mainstay with 183 runs in three matches at an average of 61 in this tournament. He is the third highest run scorer at the IPL 2013 so far.
Karthik would be disappointed to miss out on a century against Delhi Daredevils and the right-handed batsmen will hope for another big knock against Pune.
Rohit Sharma’s contribution with the bat against Delhi Daredevils was a shot in the arm and alongside Karthik, Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayudu, the middle-order looks capable to destroy any bowling attack.
The return of Lasith Malinga has strengthened Mumbai’s bowling attack and Mitchell Johnson’s presence also promises results. Both Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha have contributed with crucial breakthroughs.
Mumbai Indians are unlikely to make changes to their playing eleven and would want to maintain the winning combination.
On the other hand, Pune bounced back in style to register their first win in IPL 2013 and will hope that it starts a good run for them. Pune’s win against Rajasthan ended their losing streak in IPL, which lasted 11 matches, going back to the 2012 season.
Pune made a poor start to their IPL 2013 campaign by losing their first two games. But they got their act together to register a seven-wicket win over the Royals. The bowlers did a decent job to keep Rajasthan to 145 for five, and the batsmen sealed the deal.
The change in the batting order worked for Pune as Aaron Finch anchored the run-chase. Robin Uthappa and Finch provided a confident start. Though Ross Taylor failed to convert his start into a big score, it won’t be surprising if the Kiwi batsman gets a big score in matches to come.
Yuvraj Singh’s return to the side and his all-round show against Rajasthan is a boost for the Pune, and they will hope that the star all-rounder continues to perform. However, the bowling department continues to bother Pune and they can only hope that their performance improves against a strong Mumbai batting line-up.
Looking at the team formation and the current form, Pune will face an uphill task to trump Mumbai at their home ground.
Teams:
Mumbai Indians (Probable): Ricky Ponting (c), Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard, Rishi Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Johnson, Pragyan Ojha, Lasith Malinga.
Pune Warriors India (Probable): Angelo Mathews (c), Aaron Finch, Robin Uthappa, Yuvraj Singh, Tirumalasetti Suman,Ross Taylor, Abhishek Nayar, Mitchell Marsh, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Rahul Sharma, Ashok Dinda.
Time: 16.00 IST | 10.30 GMT
(Devarchit Varma is a cricket fanatic who finds nothing more exciting to do than to write, watch or talk about the sport. Having played the game at club and college level, he now pursues his passion as a scribe)
