TACTICAL PREVIEW
Follow UsAfter two months of riveting cricket exhibited by 10 high-quality teams, we are down to the final two matches in this edition of the Indian Premier League.
The past 72 games have been filled with ebbs and flows, and in the penultimate clash of the season will see Gujarat Titans taking on Mumbai Indians in what promises to be a mouth-watering encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on a blockbuster Friday evening to set up a finale with the Super Kings.
While the defending champions recorded 10 wins in 14 league matches to top the table, Hardik Pandya-led outfit stumbled in the 173-run chase against Chennai on a sluggish wicket to fall agonisingly short by 15 runs.
However, with another opportunity to secure their place in the summit clash on Sunday, they will be keen to make amends as they take on a formidable Mumbai side that is peaking at just the right time.
The five-time champions are known to bounce back from dismal starts, and this season has been no different, as they managed to win only three out of their first seven games.
However, like most of their successful seasons in the past, they went on a winning spree and won five games in the second half of the competition to scamper through to the fourth position on the ladder.
With an inexperienced bowling unit at his service, Rohit Sharma marshaled his troops perfectly in the Eliminator as Akash Madhwal scripted a glorious chapter in the league's history.
The franchise is known to unearth players, and the story of this young lad is no different, as he has single-handedly shouldered the bulk of the death-bowling responsibility of the side in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer.
5 for 5 in 3.3 overs, this is what dreams are made up of, and Mumbai would hope the 29-year-old continues to deliver thunderbolts in the second Qualifier.
With two fearsome batting line-ups and bowling units on the opposite ends of the spectrum as far as experience is concerned, it promises to be a thrilling encounter that will be etched in the memory of every cricket fan.
Things to watch out for
Eyes on Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder
In a relatively flawless campaign, one of the concerns heading into this game would be the availability of Hardik Pandya, the all-arounder.
The 29-year-old has amassed 297 runs in 13 innings at an average of 27 and a strike rate of 130.3, which are fairly mediocre numbers by his standards.
The right-handed batter is known to take the game away from the opposition with his brutal hitting but has donned the role of an anchor for the Titans since their inception.
While his batting form has been a bit of a concern after a string of low scores in the last four games, the team management and the Indian fans would be more worried about his unavailability to bowl in the last couple of weeks.
The right-arm seamer has not bowled for the defending champions since their home game against Lucknow Super Giants on May 7, owing to a stiff back.
While the Titans have maintained that it is just a precautionary measure, Gujarat would need their skipper in full flow heading into this crucial match.
Along with Mohammed Shami, Hardik has been the vital cog with the new ball and picked up some critical wickets early in the powerplay that pretty much set the tone for the side.
With stakes sky-high in this clash, it will be interesting to see if the captain takes up the responsibility of bowling with the new cherry on a wicket known to assist seamers early on in the innings.
Mumbai's middle-over magic
One of the significant reasons for Mumbai's turnaround after the first half of the competition has been the runs contributed by the destructive middle order of Suryakumar Yadav, Cameron Green, Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera.
The four-star batting unit of Mumbai along with Tim David have ensured they take the attack to the opposition in the middle overs, which has helped them get ahead of the game and turn their fortunes around.
In the 15 innings, Mumbai Indians have scored at a run rate of 9.1 runs per over and a ball per boundary ratio of 5.1 between overs 7 to 16, which is the best among all the teams.
With the batting unit doing most of the heavy lifting due to the inexperienced bowling attack, their impact and the ability to take the game away from the opposition in the middle overs stands out for them this season.
Pitch & conditions
The Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad is known to be a high-scoring venue, with the batters enjoying the consistent bounce on the surface that aids their strokeplay. The average first-innings total at this venue is around 187, and the average winning total is 204.
The fast bowlers have been more effective at this venue, scalping 61 out of the 88 wickets thus far in 14 innings, which is 69.3 percent of the dismissals.
Despite the spinners not being as effective as they would have liked, the longer boundaries on offer will encourage them to pitch the ball up and allow it to turn with proper protection in the deep.
Tactical nous
> In this edition, Hardik has struggled against left-arm spinners scoring just 22 off 33 at an average of 11 and a strike rate of 66.7. With Kumar Kartikeya in the mix, Rohit Sharma could use the youngster to challenge his counterpart as soon as he walks into bat.
> Over the years, Rohit has been susceptible against spinners, and this tournament is no different. The right-handed batter has struggled against leg-spinners this season and has been dismissed five times in 27 deliveries at a dismal average of nine.
Hardik will be keen to unleash his trump card, Rashid Khan early in the powerplay to counter this threat. The Afghan spinner has also dismissed Rohit four times in six IPL innings, and the right-handed batter has an average of only 7.3, making it a perfect match-up for the Titans.
Team combination
After an emphatic 81-run win, Mumbai will most likely stick to their tried and tested players in this clash. The only change Rohit Sharma can opt for would be replacing Kumar Kartikeya with Hrithik Shokeen considering the number of right-handed batters in the Titans' line-up.
Mumbai Indians XI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David, Nehal Wadhera, Chris Jordan, Hrithik Shokeen/Kumar Kartikeya, Piyush Chawla, Jason Behrendorff, Akash Madhwal
Despite a 15-run defeat against Chennai, Hardik Pandya will continue to back the same set of players to get the job done in the second Qualifier. Darshan Nalkande and Vijay Shankar will be in the playing XI, depending on the toss.
Gujarat Titans XI: Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Hardik Pandya (Captain), David Miller, Dasun Shanaka, Rahul Tewatia, Darshan Nalkande / Vijay Shankar, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Shami, Mohit Sharma
