IPL 2021 Match 9: Can SRH break two-match losing streak against MI?

Tags: Indian T20 League 2021, Mumbai XI vs Hyderabad XI, 9th Match at Chennai, Apr 17, 2021, Mumbai XI, Hyderabad XI

Published on: Apr 16, 2021

Scorecard | Commentary | Graphs

Defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match number nine of IPL 2021 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, April 17.

The match will be the third encounter for both the teams in the tournament. MI came back strongly to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders after going down to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the tournament opener. On the other hand, SRH have lost both their matches by close margins, first to KKR and then to RCB.

Mumbai do have a few issues to sort out despite their comeback win against KKR. Their batting has been below par in both the games so far. After not conceding a five-wicket haul to any bowler in the tournament prior to the start of this season, opponents have now registered two in two. After Harshal Patel did it for RCB, Andre Russell picked up five wickets in two overs for KKR.

Apart from Suryakumar Yadav and Chris Lynn (in the first match), no batsman has looked the part so far. Rohit Sharma hung on for a long time against KKR but never gained any fluency. All the big-hitters, Kieron Pollard and the Pandya brothers, have struggled, as has Ishan Kishan.

MI have done better in the bowling department. Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar changed the game against KKR with his stunning four-wicket haul. The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult also came back brilliantly at the death against KKR to keep the game in Mumbai’s control.

SRH haven’t done badly per se. But they have lacked the killer instinct, which is why they haven’t gotten on the points table as yet. Skipper David Warner batted well for his half-century against RCB. However, once he was dismissed, SRH crumbled inexplicably. Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey also scored fifties in the first game but failed to take them over the line. The lack of support in the middle and lower-order is hurting SRH, on expected lines.

The Hyderabad franchise have done better in the bowling department. Leggie Rashid Khan has picked up two wickets each in both games without conceding too many. Jason Holder also impressed in the last game with figures of 3 for 30. While T Natarajan hasn’t picked up a lot of wickets, he has been efficient. SRH need to find the game that can take them to the next level.

Predicted XIs

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (C), Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Marco Jansen, Rahul Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: David Warner, Wriddhiman Saha, Manish Pandey, Jonny Bairstow, Abdul Samad, Jason Holder, Vijay Shankar, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shahbaz Nadeem, T Natarajan

--Renin Wilben Albert

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