Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders is a game to watch out for in the IPL, and this Sunday clash at Wankhede Stadium is expected to be a cracker. With two Indians – Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) and Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders) leading their respective sides, they will be keen to pick up points early into the competition.
KKR were helped by Chris Lynn and his insane batting against GL, while Mumbai lost to the brilliance of Rising Pune Supergiants' Steve Smith in their opening match.
Here is the prediction of the MI vs KKR encounter.
If MI bat first
There is some change in the batting order, Rohit has opened the innings for Mumbai, and the elegant player provides a flying start, hitting some glorious fours and sixes. Parthiv Patel scores 20 odd-runs before departing.
But it is the solid 100-run partnership between Rohit and Jos Buttler, which does the trick for Mumbai. The duo, without taking much risks, reach 100 runs in 12th over, and with eight overs remaining, Buttler cuts loose and hits two sixes in Narine's over, and loses his wicket while going for another maximum in the same over.
Pollard joins Rohit, who follows Buttler in the next over. Pollard and Hardik Pandya help Mumbai Indians put up a total of 178 runs.
KKR's last match hero Lynn is out in the second over, and Gambhir adds 20 runs more before getting run out. Robin Uthappa, who did not get a chance to bat in the last match, is making the most out of it, dealing in boundaries, but Manish Pandey is struggling to time the ball.
The run rate is climbing, and Uthappa loses his wicket after coming down the track to Krunal Pandya, stumped. Yusuf goes for a golden duck, and with Pandey struggling for runs, Suryakumar Yadav does not help the case, and KKR lose their way, and are all out for 145 runs.
If KKR bat first
Lynn cannot continue his magic with the bat against Mumbai Indians as he is deceived by Lasith Malinga's off-cutter. Gambhir tries to take on Malinga, and the left-hander is successful until Jasprit Bumrah uproots his off stump with a brilliant yorker.
Uthappa looks good and Pandey is also playing some good shots. Both players are cruising, but with Mumbai spinners' bowling well in the middle overs, run-scoring becomes difficult, and both lose their wicket in search of quick runs.
Pathan, somehow, powers KKR to a decent total of 160 runs with 40 odd runs at the end.
A total of 160 runs can be tricky, but not when you have the likes of Rohit Sharma in an aggressive mood. The skipper leads from the front, sets a perfect base for the rest of the batsmen to follow, completing his half-century in the ninth over. They are 115 for two in the 14th over after Rohit's dismissal. Buttler and Pollard take it from there and seal the game in the 19th over without taking much risks.
