Travishek arrived in SRH’s last game, but will they stay long enough to make the 300 prediction true? This prediction was not only an expectation of fans from Hyderabad but also something Dale Steyn tweeted would be seen on April 17. Is it finally time for that to happen? After all, it all began against the same opposition when SRH decided to slot in Travis Head for the first time since 2017, when he played a single game for RCB. Now, with their openers back in form, is it time for us to talk about 300 once again?
The timing is of the essence here. Mumbai Indians and SRH have to meet each other twice within a week, and the tournament has reached a point where both teams cannot afford to falter anymore, Hyderabad more so.
Team Overview:
Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head both chipped in with the sort of blistering innings that are characteristic of them and them only against Punjab. But the question arises: do SRH’s victories rely only on two players from their team? Because the rest of the equation stayed the same for them, even against Punjab. Pat Cummins bowled clumsily, and Mohammad Shami conceded 75 runs in four overs. The middle order’s vulnerability could not be tested, which is another ticking bomb for SRH, as they have shown to crumble under pressure so often this season. If SRH hope to get back on winning ways, they will need something more than just their openers dominating the opposition, even if it means tweaking the lineup.
Mumbai became the first team this season to hand Delhi Capitals (DC) a defeat, and they did so on the strength of what Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and their bowlers did in the death overs. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the quick start, albeit rare, from Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton laid the foundation for Mumbai’s middle order to capitalize on the opportunity. However, batting Tilak Varma at No. 3 means that Will Jacks will either have to play in a position he isn’t well suited for or be sidelined for someone like Corbin Bosch, who endured a one-year ban from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to join the side. Alongside him, Karn Sharma, who took three wickets in the last game, would be a welcome change for Mumbai.
Head-to-Head Matches:
In the 23 games that Mumbai Indians have played against SRH over the years, MI won 13 while SRH emerged victorious in 10 games.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Only two games have been played at Wankhede this season, and the team totals in both games were polar opposites: an aggregate of 237 in the first game and 430 in the next match at this venue. Barring Kolkata Knight Riders’ mediocre outing with the bat, which set a total of 116 for MI to chase, teams usually have gone at something around 10 runs per over, which is enough to mark this as a good venue for batting. The tracks have true bounce on top, which further favors batters to perform well.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
