Desperate Mumbai Indians Eye Big Win Over Lowly Sunrisers Hyderabad To Bolster Playoffs Chances

20.05.2023 - 07:25 sports.ndtv.com

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will be desperate for a victory by a big margin over wooden spooners Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mumbai on Sunday, in what could also be their last outing in this year's Indian Premier League.

While SRH are already ruled out of the race to the playoffs, Mumbai Indians, who have one last chance left, will be keen to make the most of their excellent show here at the Wankhede Stadium this season so far, and bolster their chances of qualification.

With four wins and two defeats, MI have certainly taken full advantage of their homeground, something that Rohit Sharma's men would want to continue as they also have the final opportunity to improve their Net Run Rate (NRR).

Unlike Rajasthan Royals who have finished the league round with 14 points and a superior NRR of 0.148, Mumbai Indians can do one better and end with 16 points, but they must also win big.

cricket Mumbai Indians win Aiden Markram Rohit Sharma Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Heinrich Klaasen Ishan Kishan Suryakumar Yadav Abdul Samad Glenn Phillips India Kolkata Hyderabad Bangalore

With a place in the final up for grabs, Mumbai Indians would be fancying their chances against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. Akash Madhwal's breathtaking bowling performance against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator has given MI a much-needed boost ahead of the clash against the holders. GT, on the other hand, were outclassed and outgunned in Qualifier 1 by MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings. The Hardik Pandya-led side will have one last chance to gather themselves up and put their best foot forward in familiar conditions here in order to qualify for their second IPL final on the trot.

Upbeat Mumbai Indians Face IPL Defending Champions Gujarat Titans In Qualifier 2

Akash Madhwal's breathtaking bowling performance against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator would have given five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians wings and they would be fancying their chances against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 to be played in the world's largest stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. Mumbai Indians, riding on magical figures of five for five produced by Madhwal at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday night, knocked out LSG from the race to the final with an 81-run win.

"Rohit Found That I Can...": Akash Madhwal's On Mumbai Indians Captain's Backing

Akash Madhwal, who engineered Mumbai Indians' comprehensive 81-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL Eliminator, doesn't consider himself as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement and is happy to fulfil the responsibility entrusted on him by the team. Madhwal, an engineer from Uttarakhand, returned impressive figures of 5 for 5 in 3.3 overs as MI inched one step closer to the IPL summit clash on Wednesday night. "I am trying my best to fulfil the responsibilities given to me by the team. I am not Bumrah's replacement but I'm trying my best to do what I can," Madhwal told reporters after the match.

"People Don't Expect Us...": Rohit Sharma's Honest Take After Mumbai Indians' Win Over Lucknow Super Giants

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma had no doubt about unheralded Akash Madhwal's talent during his two years in the set-up and hence he was confident that the Uttarakhand player would do the job for the team if he is persisted with. Madhwal, an engineer from Uttarakhand, had figures of 5 for 5 in 3.3 overs as Mumbai Indians inched one step closer to summit clash with a 81-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL Eliminator on Wednesday.

Watch: Mumbai Indians Squad Erupt In Celebration, Following RCB's Loss Against GT

Mumbai Indians had a day to remember on Sunday as they registered a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league stage match. However, the main reason of happiness came after Gujarat Titans defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second match on Sunday, which paved way for the five-time champions into the Playoffs of IPL 2023. MI, who have now qualified with a total of 16 points, were dependent on GT's win over RCB. The team erupted in joy to celebrate their entry into the knockout stage of the tournament.

IPL 2023: Cameron Green, Rohit Sharma Fire As Mumbai Indians Thrash Sunrisers Hyderabad By 8 Wickets

Cameron Green's magnificent maiden century (100*) and Rohit Sharma's half century powered Mumbai Indians to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league match of the IPL at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Mumbai knocked off the target of 201 with 12 balls and eight wickets to spare to accumulate 16 points from 14 matches. But their fate will be decided after the match in Bengaluru -- which is experiencing rain -- between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans later in the day.