Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), IPL 2017, Qualifier 1, preview and likely XI: Maharashtra derby at Wankhede Stadium

RPS have an edge over MI at Wankhede with ratio of 2:0 BCCI

Two of Mumbai Indians (MI) four defeats have come against Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017. All in all, Mumbai have only one victory against RPS from four matches, not a statistic they will be happy with when they lock horns in Qualifier 1 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, Mumbai have ended up lifting the title every time they battled in Qualifier 1 (in 2013 and 2015). RPS, on the other hand, will be playing in their first ever playoffs, given they had stuttered at the penultimate position in IPL 2016, their maiden edition. That said, whichever team emerges victorious in this contest will qualify for the all-important final, while the losing side will take on with the winner of Eliminator in Qualifier 2: all will not be lost for them. Full Cricket Scorecard: Mumbai Indians vs Rising Pune Supergiant, IPL 2017, Qualifier 1 at Mumbai

In this season

Steven Smith s resolute 84 eclipsed Mumbai s collective batting performance, gifting RPS an emphatic 7-wicket win in the first contest.

RPS then maintained a clean sheet against Mumbai. Their spectacular death-bowling walloped Mumbai by a mere 3 runs in a last-over thriller.

At Wankhede Stadium

With Wankhede being Mumbai s home ground, they have a slight advantage. All the same, RPS have won both contests against Mumbai at the venue. This, for that matter, should not dent Mumbai s confidence, for they have won 5 of their 7 contests here this summer. To add fuel to the fire, Mumbai did not taste defeat every time they had to chase all in excess of 155. As a result, it will not come as a surprise if Mumbai invite RPS to bat first if Rohit Sharma calls it right at the toss.

Likely XI

With Mumbai already having qualified for the playoffs before their last league game, they gave the fit-again Ambati Rayudu a nod ahead of Parthiv Patel. Rayudu repaid the faith, swatting 64 off 37 including 6 fours and 3 sixes. Mumbai, in all likelihood, will dish out a similar strategy in the high-octane contest.

Parthiv has done well at the opening slot, but Rayudu one of Mumbai s veterans will come handy in the middle-order. In addition, this will allow Rohit, who has had a hot-and-cold tournament, to partner Lendl Simmons at the top. Given the Wankhede track can be a graveyard for the bowlers, Rohit will have a good time slaughtering the new ball. If anything, Rohit s experience in opening for India will be used to good effect.

Likely XI for Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma, Lendl Simmons, Nitish Rana, Ambati Rayudu (wk), Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga.

It will be difficult for RPS to move on from Ben Stokes unavailability for the rest of the tournament. Plundering 316 runs at 31.6 and scalping 12 wickets, Stokes was a vital cog in RPS armoury. He has now joined England in Spain for a training camp ahead of the 50-over series against South Africa.

Without a shadow of doubt, RPS do not have a like-for-like replacement. Moreover, they have only two overseas players to choose from: Lockie Fergusson and Usman Khawaja.

While Fergusson donned the RPS jersey in 2 matches, Khawaja has not had a game yet in IPL 10. Nonetheless, RPS need of the hour is a batsman who can use the long handle to devastating effect. This keeps Khawaja ahead in the race. Fluent with the bat, Khawaja will be expected to up the ante at No. 4 on a Wankhede belter.

Likely XI for Rising Pune Supergiant: Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Tripathi, Steven Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Manoj Tiwary, MS Dhoni (wk), Daniel Christian, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Adam Zampa

Key players and battles

A leg-spinner has dismissed Rohit four times in this edition, thrice caught in front. Therefore, we will see Smith employing Adam Zampa against the Mumbai captain.

With no Stokes, Dhoni has no option but to bat down the order and play the finisher s role. This will mean that Rohit will ask Lasith Malinga to bowl full and wide yorkers against Dhoni the way Malinga had done in the final of the 2014 World T20.

Smith loves playing against Mumbai. In 8 matches against them, he has accumulated 289 runs.

Quote unquote

I am from Mumbai. I look forward to playing at Wankhede. I won t like to miss that opportunity to beat Mumbai in Mumbai and then go to Hyderabad, RPS pacer Shardul Thakur told The Indian Express.

We would have the advantage against them. We ve beaten them twice this season and it would play on their minds. We must grab the opportunity which has come our way. We have the momentum while they ve not done really well in the last couple of games. They re a formidable side, but the team we have is good enough to beat any team on any day, added Jaydev Unadkat, who has taken a hat-trick this season.

Squad

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Parthiv Patel (wk), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Krishnappa Gowtham (wk), Ambati Rayudu (wk), Lendl Simmons (wk), Kulwant Khejroliya, Karn Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary, Asela Gunaratne, Mitchell Johnson, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell McClenaghan, Shreyas Gopal, Siddhesh Lad, Vinay Kumar, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya, Tim Southee, Lasith Malinga, Jagadeesha Suchith, Nitish Rana, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Deepak Punia.

Rising Pune Supergiant: Steven Smith (c), MS Dhoni (wk), Mayank Agarwal, Baba Aparajith, Ankush Bains, Ankit Sharma, Rajat Bhatia, Deepak Chahar, Daniel Christian, Rahul Chahar, Ashok Dinda, Lockie Ferguson, Usman Khawaja, Jaskaran Singh, Saurabh Kumar, Milind Tondon, Manoj Tiwary, Jaydev Unadkat, Adam Zampa.

TIME: 14.30 GMT | 20.00 IST