The Mumbai Indians need to find a way to get back their batting groove as they look to avoid an early elimination from the Champions League T20 2014.
Where to Watch Live
The Mumbai Indians vs Southern Express CLT20 2014 Qualifier 4 is scheduled for an 8 pm IST (3.30 pm BST, 10.30 am ET) start with live coverage on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 3 and Star Sports HD1. The match can also be watched via live streaming online HERE. Catch the action in the UK and Europe on Eurosport, while viewers can also watch online through a live stream HERE.
Viewers in the US can catch all the action on ESPN, with the option available for live streaming HERE. Canada viewers will be able to view the game on Sportsnet or live onlineHERE. Middle East and North Africa viewers go HERE to watch the match online, while the match can be live streamed in South Africa and Sub Saharan HERE.
Rest of the world viewers can catch all the math action via online live streaming HERE.
The defending champions were extremely poor with the bat on Saturday night, managing just 135 from their 20 overs as the Lahore Lions bowlers ran all over them.
Come Sunday night, the Mumbai Indians will know they cannot afford another poor batting performance as they look to stop the Southern Express when the two teams meet in the CLT20 2014 Qualifier 4 in Raipur.
The problem with the Mumbai Indians, at the moment, is that they do not have too many Indian batting options. After the loss of Rohit Sharma from the lineup, the only real Indian batting mainstay is Ambati Rayudu, and that is just not enough when you are only allowed four foreign players in your side.
With Kieron Pollard made captain, he is undroppable, and you always need Lasith Malinga in your side. With Lendl Simmons playing really well at the top for the Mumbai Indians in the last season of the IPL, he is a definite selection, leaving the MI management having to pick one of Michael Hussey and Corey Anderson.
On Saturday, Hussey got the nod to bat up top with Simmons, and the Australian did not do too badly, scoring the second highest score of the innings. However, seeing the manner in which Corey Anderson led Mumbai Indians into the playoffs of IPL 2014 – which in turn booked their place in this CLT20 2014 – there has to be a way to get the New Zealander into the playing XI.
Anderson can bat anywhere in the lineup, and is also pretty handy with the ball. Having said that, however, it does become impossible for any team to recover if they lost three wickets for just three runs, which is what happened in the first game against the Lahore Lions, when Simmons, Jalaj Saxena and Rayudu all fell in a heap to leave the Mumbai Indians clutching at straws on 23 for three.
A solid start at the top is necessary, and Simmons, in particular, will target a big score against the Southern Express, who were also far from impressive in their opening match of the CLT20 2014.
The Sri Lankan side were forced to cool their heels for a few hours before play was finally possible as rain pelted down in Raipur. And once they did get a game going – a ten overs a side contest – they collapsed dramatically after their openers had given them a solid start.
It is hard, however, to judge a team when they have played just one ten-over game and the Southern Express will hope for a complete 20-over match against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday night.
