IPL 2018: MI vs KXIP, Match 50: Mumbai look to cash in against Punjab's momentum shift

The match willbe played at the Wankhede stadium.

Must win game for both teams.

Cricket is all about a game of momentum and at this point in the IPL, KXIP Punjab is a team which is seeming to lose it all. Mumbai, on the other hand, is peaking big time. 

Mumbai has won two of their last three matches, while Punjab has lost three on the trot to dampen their chances of playoffs qualification. Tonight both these teams will have a dictating contest which will define the future of both these teams going ahead in the season. 

Mumbai seem to be high on confidence on the back of their wins. A win on Wednesday will propel MI straight into the fourth slot, courtesy their NRR advantage over all the seven other teams in the competition, and from there, MI will fancy a win against Delhi Daredevils to consolidate their spot in the top-half.

for Punjab, three back to back losses has taken the sting out of their team and has opened up several questions on the playing XI that they have been picking in the recent games. Questions regarding benching the likes of Yuvraj and Miller too have been hurled at the management. Tonight's game demands the presence of both these key players for their team if they are to make a match of it. The likes of Mayank Agarwal, Manoj Tiwary and Aaron Finch need to up their game if the trio play the game tonight. 

As far as the team combination for tonight's game is concerned, Mumbai would like to play the same Xi while for Punjab its time that they give their senior players Yuvraj Singh and David Miller a go in the game. Plus Mujeeb is not fit from his wrist injury as per latest reports and might make way for Marcus Stoinis once again. 

As far as the pitch and the playing conditions are concerned, Mumbai will be hot and humid and the pitch will be batting friendly as always. If batsmen from both teams get their act right we could be in for a run-fest at the Wankhede. 

Toss

Kings XI Punjab have won the toss and have opted to field

Playing XI 

Kings XI Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, Yuvraj Singh, Manoj Tiwary, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Ankit Rajpoot

Mumbai Indians : Suryakumar Yadav, Evin Lewis, Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Ben Cutting, Mitchell McClenaghan, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah

 
 

By Anshuman Roy - 16 May, 2018

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