The past, the present and even the fighting spirit is the same. The Mumbai Indians and the Sunrisers Hyderabad have seven wins each from their head-to-head encounters. They are also square on the points table, as of now, and the two rivals are known to fight to the finish.
So when the two teams meet in Sharjah on October 4 in the first game of yet another double-header in the Indian Premier League 2020, their assessment of the pitch, too, will be the same—a flat track fit for big hits.
Another striking feature is that the teams are lead by match-winning openers who are also master strategists.
Difference in reliance
If Mumbai are relying heavily on the veterans like Rohit Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, Hyderabad have only Rashid Khan among the seniors who have lived up to his reputation.
While MI also has got the likes of young Ishan Kishan and Rahul Chahar who have contributed significantly, SRH’s young guns Priyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad and T Natarajan have raised hopes of sustained success.
“I’ve told these young kids to go out there and play the way they want to play, play with freedom. Take the scoreboard out of the equation, and back yourselves,” skipper David Warner said in a post-match press conference after the win against the Chennai Super Kings.
The Bhuvneshwar factor
Hyderabad’s most experienced seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has had a mixed season and his injury in the last match, perhaps, has come at a wrong time.
In the past, SRH bowlers have risen to the occasion in Bhuvi’s absence, especially Sandeep Sharma who has a fine record against Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav.
“They have got a few good bowlers. I know it is a small stadium but at the same time, if we don’t get loose balls, we have to respect those balls and if the tempo is on our side, we just need to go with it,” Ishan Kishan said ahead of the match.
Bhuvi’s absence may give some more power to Pollard, who has been dismissed three times inside 22 balls by the Meerut pacer.
Rashid Khan vs big hitters
Pollard and Pandya can be any bowler’s nightmare. The fear factor gets doubled in the smaller ground of Sharjah, where sixes decide the outcome. So, it will be an interesting battle between the duo and SRH’s trump card Rashid Khan. Rashid has got Pollard once and has managed to keep the big Trinidadian quiet (63 runs off 67 balls). Pandya, too, hasn’t been at his dominant best against the spirited Afghan (16 runs off 28 balls with two dismissals).
MI do look formidable on paper and have got a far superior six-hitting machine but SRH, with their underrated arsenal, can pull a surprise against the defending champions.
Likely XI
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain), Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah
Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner (captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Manish Pandey, Kane Williamson, Priyam Garg, Abhishek Sharma, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, T Natarajan
(Vimal Kumar is a senior sports journalist who has covered multiple cricket world cups and Rio Olympics in the last two decades. Vimal is also the author of Sachin: Cricketer Of The Century and The Cricket Fanatic’s Essential Guide.)
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