IPL 2024, MI vs RCB: Mumbai Indians to take on arch-rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru, look to clinch second win of season

Mumbai: Mumbai Indians will look to register their second consecutive victory by beating arch-rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 25th match of IPL 2024 at Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.

Mumbai seem to be in good form, especially after their impressive performance against Delhi Capitals. Their batting lineup, including players like Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tim David, appear to be in good touch. The return of SKY (Suryakumar Yadav) into the squad has bolstered their batting further.

Mumbai's bowling attack, led by Gerald Coetzee and Jasprit Bumrah, also have looked good, adding to their strength.

On the other hand, Bengaluru are struggling, particularly with their batting. They heavily rely on Virat Kohli for consistent starts, and other key players like Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell have not hit form yet. Cameron Green's performance with both bat and ball has been below par.

Bengaluru's bowling attack also has been a concern, with no bowler showing consistent form. The absence of a quality spinner in their squad too is adding to their worries.

In terms of team news, Mumbai are likely to stick with their winning combination from the previous game, while Bengaluru might make changes, with Will Jacks potentially replacing Cameron Green and Mahipal Lamror expected to return to the playing XI.

In the head-to-head record, Mumbai have a slight advantage over RCB, winning eighteen out of thirty-two encounters.

The weather report suggests overcast skies with high humidity, but no threat of rain. Dew could play a crucial role in the outcome of the match.

Overall, Mumbai seem to have the upper hand going into the encounter, considering their recent form and the struggles faced by RCB. However, in cricket, anything can happen, and Bengaluru will be eager to turn their fortunes around.

Teams

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.